Final answer:
The statement that urban sprawl has pushed offices back into urban areas is false. Instead, urban sprawl has generally resulted in businesses and offices relocating to the suburbs to be closer to the workforce, contributing to the outward spread of cities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Urban sprawl has indeed led to multiple changes in where businesses and offices choose to locate. As suburban populations expanded rapidly and the workforce demographics shifted with the inclusion of women, highway systems that were built to support less traffic became overloaded. This change led to increases in commuting times and traffic congestion, making commuting to inner city areas less efficient for workers. Consequently, employers reacted by moving offices and factories closer to these suburban areas, reducing the necessity to travel to the city and aligning with the sprawl. However, the initial assertion in the question that urban sprawl has pushed many offices back into urban areas is false. Over the years, the pattern has predominantly been one where both residential and commercial developments have spread outwards, thereby contributing to the sprawl. Only in recent economic situations, such as the reduction in housing prices following economic recessions, has there been a notable pattern in which some offices and individuals consider moving back to urban centers, seeking affordability and other benefits. Still, the primary trend associated with urban sprawl has been a movement away from city centers rather than a return to them.