The two questions I want to ask is what is the history of regional planning in SE Michigan? And what is the future?

A few more questions that arise would be:

-Does anyone have any resources where this could be found?
-What are some books out there that might delve into this question or discuss it?
-Has there ever been any concerted effort in curbing urban sprawl?
-What is the role of MDOT in regional planning? Why is auto-centricity so important to invest in? Do these people ever leave Michigan for conferences?
-What is the role of SEMCOG in regional planning?

I remember reading an early SEMCOG report, probably from the early 70s, and it estimated that the region's population growth would continue to rise so that by the year 2000, it would be around 7 million. Of course, that never happened. How they estimated this is beyond me.

With the demise of people like L. Brooks Patterson and the Frank Rizzos of the region, how do we start to have a real conversation about regional planning that doesn't involve the suburbs bashing Detroit or Detroit bashing the suburbs? Perhaps this thread can be a start?

Infrastructure [[roads, bridges, energy, and water & sewage) and public transit are two most discussed "regional" issues.

What about public education? I remember reading on Newspapers.com a Freep news article, also from the 70s, about a plan to regionalize the school system. It seemed incredibly forward thinking for the time. School districts [[or maybe just the high schools?) would've been grouped together. I forget how, but something to the effect of SE Oakland would've been one school district. East Side Detroit, Harper Woods, and the Grosse Pointes another. And still Troy, Avon Township, and Bloomfield Hills together, and so on. I'm paraphrasing but you get the idea.

I anticipate this thread to have heated discussions. But when I look around this region, we are not doing anything right. Or are we doing anything right? We need a cohesive plan to work together and no one seems to be doing anything. At least, not as far as I'm aware of.

So let's discuss.