When will the tri-cities become one urban area? (Grand Island, Kearney: prices, airport)

[Raphael07]

When do you think the Tri-Cities will become one urban area? And which city do you think will be the dominant city? First, I think over the next 20 years maybe, Grand Island and Hastings will grow towards each other and eventually meet first, because they are only 15 miles apart, this would probably also result in an interstate expansion to that area, and then maybbe 50 years from now, they could probably finally hit Kearney, which is 33 miles away. I think Grand Island will be the Dominant city because it has easy acess to both cities, which could help with commerce between Hastings and Kearney, however, Hastings and Kearney could become something like Fort Worth to Grand Island.

[ehenningsen]

Well, if you mean like one city running into another then it is way way down the road...

But if you meant like a metropolitan type of area, I think it is not so far down the road..

Grand Island is honestly just years from being considered its own metropolitan area and Hastings is on the north end of Adams county which is just a few miles from Hall county (where GI is)

Kearney is growing pretty well and although it has a ways to go before it hits the 50,000 people status, its location and UNK have been serving the community well and in the near future I wouldn't be surprised to see this area increase the rate of growth..

The tri-cities area now has about 200,000 people and is growing near or above a 1% per year clip and I fully expect it to pick up as you are now finding facilities in this area that you normally don't see in communities of 48,000 - 30,000 - 26,000, but you see them here because of how close these communities are and is increasingly becoming a regional market area..

[tpabes]

Long, long, long, long ways down the road, if ever. While the cities are growing, I see no reason to attract that many people to the area, unless we discover a lifetimes supply of oil in the area. Also with the emphasis on urban planning, sprawl, gas prices, etc.. I don't see that kind of growth being attractive to people.

[Chris19]

With the distance between Hastings, Kearney, and Grand Island, I do not see them growing towards each other and being a sprawling metro area. But I see each of them growing at a steady clip and feeding off of each other. In a earlier post about an idea of a Tri-Cities airport, I think that a Tri-Cities airport would be an excellent idea and would enhance the economy in the region along with the three cities. This makes it more feasable and attractive for younger people, families, businessses, and visitors.

[IsThisOneTaken?]

200+ years. After the polar ice caps have melted and made the coasts uninhabitable.

I look for Doniphan to take over as the dominant metro area. Or maybe Juniata.