Charleighboro?

[cityboi]

I was watching FOX 8 News and they said that technically NC is part of a megapolis that stretches from Raleigh to Atlanta and will be the fastest growing corridor in the nation. some urban researchers are even saying that the Triangle and Triad will one day become one metro. The megapolis has been dubbed "Charleighboro", combining the city names of Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro, the largest cities in their metros. It is predicted that over the next 30 to 40 years, there will be continous sprawl stretching between Raleigh and Charlotte as if its one massive 170 mile long city along I-85. What do you think "The urban cresent" will look like in 50 years?

[monsoon]

This sounds like poorly imformed talking heads at work again. Megalopolis brings to mind Tokyo or Mexico City. I don't think the vastly unpopulated land between ATL, CLT and RDU are in the same league.

We get this type of stuff on the local news when the weather is nice and there are no shootings of significance.

[cityboi]

The question is what really defines a megapolis? Do a Megaopolis neccisarily have to have several cities close together with populations near a million?

[Hotlanta]

I found this intesting article and I think it addresses both of your concerns:

Here it is

[cityboi]

according to that article a megapolis has 10 million or more people genrally dominated by low-density settlement and complex networks. That would be the case between Atlanta and Raleigh. however If you call that a megaoplis it would be a small one but by techical definition it would be one

[Jerseyman4]

A megalopolous to me is when you can drive through suburbia without any break in between major cities.

Great example is everything between Philadelphia and New York

[teshadoh]

In my mind it would be the Northeast, southern Florida, Chicago-Milwaukee & central & southern California. There the primary Urbanized Areas are often adjacent to one another or are connected by a population density of at least 500 people per square mile. The I-85 corridor isn't there yet, there are still numerous spots of low population densities.

But - it's clearly the next developing megalopolis. It depends on Burlington, Salisbury & Gafney SC, these towns would 'connect' a continious +500 people per square mile line from Anderson SC to Raleigh. But there are still some other gaps. Though the gaps between Charlotte & Greensboro are less notable - so this section is becoming a reality. Also - Hickory & Charlotte are also starting to develop towards one another.

Regarding Atlanta, though there is a pattern of development from Gainesville to Toccoa & towards Clemson, it's still largely rural in that part of north Georgia.

Unfortunately though, as the Northeast megalopolis is dominated by large urban areas, it's unfortunate that what we're really talking about developing is a sprawlopolis. It isn't urbanization that is pushing this pattern, but lower density suburbanization that is connecting the urban cores.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

Is there continuous development between Chicago and Milwaukee?

[atlrvr]

Is there continuous development between Chicago and Milwaukee?

Somewhat in that suburban sort of way.......as in constant interstates exits with commercial activity, though you do drive through some farm land right around the state borders. (at least when I was last there 5 years ago....) that was along I-94. I think it is a bit denser closer to the lake.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

I understand that it is only about an hour and a half drive from Chicago up to Milwaukee.

I would call the Charlotte to Raleigh sprawl a suburbanoplis. THe most formiddable gap in the development is between Salisbury and Greensboro. Thomasville and Lexington aren't very developed along I-85.

[monsoon]

Actually Chicago has the biggest suburban spawl in the USA. 2/3rd's of the metro lives outside of Cook county in the sprawling suburbs that streach to the horizon. If there was ever a place that could be called a suburbanoplis, this would be it.

[kpryde4u]

ummm... not gonna happen.. in a million years

[orulz]

Anybody who has ever played SimCity knows that a megalopolis is any city with 500,000 people or more. So, by that definition...

But seriously, I *HOPE* that this "megalopolis" takes a very long time to happen. I don't doubt that it will, eventually, but it would take some of the most hideously awful and quickly built sprawl you've ever seen for these cities to really merge into one before the second half of this century. I'd far rather see the cities stick to their current borders and grow through infill and redevelopment rather than constantly growing out and spooging into one.

[JDC]

That's not much of a Megalopolis. Maybe in the future, but consider how rural the areas in between are now.

BosNYWash - now that's a megalopolis...and it only includes three of the major cities in the I-95 stretch. Baltimore, Philadelphia, Providence, Worcester, Hartford and Connecticuts southern coastal cities (New Haven, Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport), plus Wilmington (DE) and Trenton.

Perhaps we'll see the I-95 corridor stretch through Virginia, into Richmond and head down 85 to the Triangle, Triad, Charlotte metro, Spartanburg, Greenville, Athens and Atlanta, although I guess that's the "BAMA" Boston/Atlanta Metropolitan Area.

[Jerseyman4]

Between Petersburg and Durham will remain rural for many many years.

[krazeeboi]

^There's isn't even that much development between Petersburg and Richmond.

[Jerseyman4]

^There's isn't even that much development between Petersburg and Richmond.

The development and sprawl around the Richmond metro area is lopsided. Although, there is continious light development along US 1/301 between Richmond and Petersburg though. Once your in Dinwiddie County(VA) south of Petersburg to NC, it is nothing but woods and small towns. Interestingly enough, once you get into NC, you see farms pretty much throughout the whole state until after Aberdeen, its wooded land again until you get into Marlboro County, SC.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

If there were a major city between Petersburg, Virginia and the North Carolina border, there would be a good chance that RDU would hook up with the Northeast Megalopolis. If only South Hill were a big city.

[Eastwestrob]

If there were a major city between Petersburg, Virginia and the North Carolina border, there would be a good chance that RDU would hook up with the Northeast Megalopolis. If only South Hill were a big city.

South Hill is smaller than Clayton

[Eastwestrob]

There was a post months ago about N.C overtaking Geogia as far as Population is concerned by 2025. It puts N.C at over 12 Million. By the time that happens you will really start to think about a Megalopolis starting in Raleigh and continueing to Atlanta. I also think that the heaviest concentration of that Megalopolis will stretch from Raleigh to Charlotte. It is only inevitable that this region combined Raleigh to Charlotte region will someday take over the pure size and population of metro Atlanta to back of my theory.

Any thoughts on this???

[ChiefJoJo]

It is predicted that over the next 30 to 40 years, there will be continous sprawl stretching between Raleigh and Charlotte as if its one massive 170 mile long city along I-85.

Um, do we really want this to happen? This is Urban Planet, right?

[Eastwestrob]

Um, do we really want this to happen? This is Urban Planet, right?

No we really don't but I am pretty sure it will happen.

[Creasy336]

Raleigh to Greensboro will be connected first. Greensboro and Burlington are not to far away from being connected through the rock creek/stoney creek area. Burlington is preparing to annex brightwood farms as well as the ridge creek condo development this will put burlington up to exit 135 along I 40-85...7 miles from the Lee St exit in Greensboro. Graham and Mebane are quickly merging. Mebane is growing in orange county. Hillsborough is growing as well despite Orange county's anti growth. the only true gaps that are needed to make this happen are the area of Efland and just east of Hillsborough. Durham and Raleigh are already contingent in some areas.

[Tha-336-Kang]

Yea, that sounds about right

[cityboi]

There was a post months ago about N.C overtaking Geogia as far as Population is concerned by 2025. It puts N.C at over 12 Million. By the time that happens you will really start to think about a Megalopolis starting in Raleigh and continueing to Atlanta. I also think that the heaviest concentration of that Megalopolis will stretch from Raleigh to Charlotte. It is only inevitable that this region combined Raleigh to Charlotte region will someday take over the pure size and population of metro Atlanta to back of my theory.

Any thoughts on this???

As others have stated, The Greensboro to Raleigh corridor will develope first. That is the most rapidly growing area in the state. We may even see some sort of Triangle/Triad combined regional commuter rail system at some point in the future. A person may live in Greensboro and take a commuter train to work in Raleigh. Such a system would contribute to making the Triangle and Triad one metro. But if that were to happen, tv markets would be affected. A few cities would lose their tv affiliates because you cant have two CBS affiliates or two ABC affiliates in the same market. Greensboro would lose its status from being the largest city in the metro to the second largest.