Megapolitan areas compete globally

[DetroitPlanner]

Yeeeeeeeeaa, I don't foresee Grand Rapids and Detroit having strong connections any time in the future, but ya never know. I guess if some better high speed transportation was developed between now and then...

...

Ok now I'm really pessimistic...

Ann Arbor-Ypsi has about 250k and Toledo is much larger. We have more in common with those Cities than with GR.

Typed that before clicking on articles and seeing map. This stuff is very general. It should not be a surprise to anyone who has read the Jane Jacobs book mentioned above. I still see very weak links between Detroit and western Michigan. Western Michigan does still have some manufacturing, but its largely furniture. Its been in decline too. You can see as many for lease signs in GR, Holland, K-zoo and Muskegon as you see along Mound or Plymouth Roads.

We also have a much better position to trade gloablly than most places. There are kernels of truth in Areotropolis in that we have more runways handling both frieght and passenger traffic than just about any other City. We also have a pretty good wetern connection and southern conncections for freight via rail and we have the highest volume port of entry for any City in the united States, even though most of that arrives by truck over bridges or through tunnels.