Transcript Chapter 4 (first part)

MEGALOPOLIS
(CHAPTER 4: PART 1)
Your Mental
Image?
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
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MEGALOPOLIS
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A term initially coined by French Geographer,
Jean Gottmann in 1961
The large population agglomeration which
extended from Boston to Washington
Now, any agglomeration of large coalescing
super cities
MEGALOPOLIS
URBAN LAND-USE CHANGE
IN MEGALOPOLIS
MEGALOPOLIS TODAY
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The region is outlined on the map on page 63.
Urbanness - the dominant theme
Comprised of 10 major metropolitan areas of over one
million people and numerous smaller cities.
17.5% of the total U.S. population
1.5% of the total land area
17% of all U.S. export trade passes through its six
major ports.
A region of international significance
SITE CHARACTERISTICS
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The internal attributes of a place
The features of the immediate environment or setting
 coastal location
 numerous estuaries
 soils are variable (3 distinct categories)
 Baltimore to the Philadelphia area
 New York City's surrounding area
 Boston vicinity
 relatively flat or gently rolling terrain
 fall line provided early water power
SITUATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
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The external attributes of a place
Aspects of the region's location relative to other places
 a good location relative to Europe in terms of trade and
immigration
 good routes into the interior
 fortuitous location along the Europe-Caribbean and South
American trade route
 good accessibility resources
 good harbors
 routes into the interior (natural & man-made)
 a great stop off/service point for others conducting trade
KEY TERMS
(REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE)
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Fall Line Cities…
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Cities situated along the physiographic boarder between
the Piedmont and the Atlantic coastal plain region
The location where the river rapids and falls occur as
water flows from the hard rocks of the higher Piedmont
onto the softer rocks of the coastal plain
Examples…
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Trenton
Philadelphia
Wilmington
Baltimore
Richmond
FALL LINE CITIES
KEY TERMS
(REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE)
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Metropolitan Coalescence
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Merging of urbanized areas of separate metropolitan
centers
A process of canalized growth
Conurbation
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An extensive urban area
Formed when two or more cities coalesce to form a
continuous metropolitan area
The product of metropolitan coalescence
KEY TERMS
(METROPOLITAN SIGNIFICANCE)
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Central Business District (CBD)
 The traditional hub of the city's commercial and industrial
activity
Urban Sprawl
 The gradual growth of activities and facilities in the outlying
areas of a city
 The additional area becomes incorporated and the urban
area increases in size.
Gentrification
 The upgrading of older or rundown urban residential areas
by new higher-income settlers
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ADVANTAGES?
DISADVANTAGES?
URBAN LANDSCAPES
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Major Components
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Spatial Interaction
Functional Complexity
Public Services
Accessibility
Intensity of Change
MAJOR COMPONENTS
(CONTINUED)
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Spatial Interaction-refers to the movement that occurs
between places.
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people, via sidewalks, parking lots, subways
information, via communication lines, wires, terminals
utilities, including sewage, water, electricity, and gas
Functional Complexity - refers to the land use
variations and conflict
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residential
industrial
commercial
recreational
MAJOR COMPONENTS
(CONTINUED)
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Public Services
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provide water, sewage, garbage pick-up, etc.
also include: police protection, fire protection, public
schools, road works, and health care
Accessibility
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is created and maintained as a public service to insure
access to the core from the periphery and among
places along the periphery.
is accomplished via bypasses, beltloops, parkways,
and limited access expressways.
MAJOR COMPONENTS
(CONTINUED)
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Intensity of Change
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Refers to the dynamic nature of the urban landscape.
“Nothing seems permanent.”
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Economic ventures
Shifts in transportation networks
Developments and declines in residential areas
MEGALOPOLIS
(CHAPTER 4: PART 1)