Megalopolis: Virginias Megapolitan Area

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Megalopolis Virginias Megapolitan Area

• March 30, 2006
• Robert Lang, Ph.D.
• Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech

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Whats in This Talk?

• Review of Virginia Techs Megapolitan Area
  Geography
• Evolving Metropolitan Form and Function
• The Geography of Megapolitan Virginia
• Policy Implications

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Megapolitans in The NewsUSA Today July 2005
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Megapolitans in The NewsBusiness 2.0 November
2005
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Virginia Techs Original 2005 Megapolitan
Geography
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Virginia Techs 2006 Megapolitan 2.0 Geography
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Virginia TechsMegapolitans 2.0 at a Glance
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Megapolitan Area Population and Growth Rates
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Virginia TechsTypes of Urban Complexes
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20th Century Evolving Metropolitan Form
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The Stretch Metroplex 2010
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Arizonas Sun Corridor
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Megalopolis Growth to 2040

• From 54.5 M in 04 to 66.6 M in 40
• But These Projections Have Been Off Before60-65
  M is More Likely
• DC Region Over a Fifth of Total Megalopolis
  Growth
• Was the Only NE Metro to Match 1960s RPA Growth
  Predictions

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Megalopolis

• 51 Million 2004 Pop.
• 00-04 growth rate 3.1
• 70,000 sq. miles
• Biggest Metro New York
• Fastest Growing Metro DC Region

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The Megalopolis 2006 Version
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Hot and Cold LinksBetweenCities
Source University of Pennsylvania
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www.mi.vt.edu