What would the 'Twin Cities' be like if it were one City??

[Beenhere4ever]

Originally Posted by ETN612

Hey guys, new member here. First off, sorry to revive a two year old thread, but I was just reading through this read and seeing these comments together on the same thread on this subject really struck me and got me thinking.

As a current junior at the University of Minnesota, i've been watching the construction of the Green Line LRT for some time now, and now that it's less than 100 days from becoming operational, i'm becoming very excited to be able to finally use it. I enjoy the idea of being able to get from downtown to downtown in around 30 minutes,even during the busiest rush hour periods. Considering that it mostly runs along University Avenue, I think it is now even easier to imagine that University Avenue could see a lot of high-density multi-use development both on and branching outwards from the Avenue. As a bicycle commuter and enthusiast who has many friends in both St. Paul and Minneapolis (I myself live in Marcy-Holmes, SE Minneapolis), I often notice how fluid the transition is between Minneapolis and St. Paul is and how, in most instances, it's not till you're deep in one or the other where the distinctions become really noticeable (IMHO).

I have always been a supporter of the idea of the two cities merging into one city with two distinct boroughs, and I think the Green Line LRT could be a spark that sets off a lot of development and integration between the two cities. It would make it so much easier for people who live in one city but work in another to get back and forth, and the two cities have just never really been connected in such a sophisticated manner before.

On that note, what are everyone else's thoughts on the possible effects the Green Line LRT and development along the central corridor project could have on the prospects of Minneapolis and St. Paul merging to become one city? On an interesting sidenote, what would it be called if they became one entity? My vote would be for something that reflects the fact that they were once separate, like Twin City, Gemini, Minneapolis-St. Paul; and it would have two boroughs, Minneapolis & St. Paul.

Or "St. Minneapaulis"?

[KoNgFooCj]

It would go from being the 46th and 63rd biggest cities in the US to being the 19th biggest city with 739,000 people, right inbetween Seattle and Denver. The combined city would still have a high density of 6,971 per square mile, not much lower than Minneapolis' current density of 7,820 per square mile.

[MrMinneapolis]

st paul is actually massive land mass wise. feels that way to me at least

[YIMBY]

Originally Posted by MrMinneapolis

st paul is actually massive land mass wise. feels that way to me at least

What? St. Paul is 52 sq mi whereas as Minneapolis is 54 sq mi.

If you think either St. Paul or Minneapolis massive, visit the likes of Oklahoma City, Charlotte, Houston and the roughly 200 other "cities" who are larger in terms of land size.

[Glenfield]

Nagqu, China has 450,000 people in 175,000 square miles. California covers 163,000 square miles Now THAT is spread out.

[Ghengis]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

Nagqu, China has 450,000 people in 175,000 square miles. California covers 163,000 square miles Now THAT is spread out.

too sprawley for me

[Kavalier]

I've always felt it to be one city. There is no night life in St. Paul...want that, gotta go to Downtown Minneapolis.