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Although Rocky Mount is in a decline or at least was, it still feels much larger than cities such as Kinston in my opinion and actually feels more urban in some spots than Greenville (if you exclude ECU, which is the most urban area in East Carolina). I've always believed Rocky Mount-Wilson should have a close connection, and I believe that day will come soon with the RTP expanding.
I composed this list just now saying which city has the most potential or doing the best out of the cities we discussed:
1. Greenville
2. Wilson
3. Goldsboro
4. Rocky Mount
5. Kinston
Would you guys agree with that?
I agree with that list, and Rocky Mount is only ahead of Kinston because its on 95.
Dude, you might want to lay off the drugs before posting, every town you mentioned has train tracks running right through the middle of them. Five seconds on google maps would tell you this.
In fact, you'll be hard-pressed to find any town in the US worth noting founded before the development of the automobile which doesn't have train tracks running through it.
Rocky Mount has three times the population of Kinston, of course it's gonna seem larger.
You're having a massive brain freeze. Rocky Mount is the only city Ive ever seen that has train tracks running RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE of its center. It even seperates 2 counties. Unless you give me another example, you are trolling.
You're having a massive brain freeze. Rocky Mount is the only city Ive ever seen that has train tracks running RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE of its center. It even seperates 2 counties. Unless you give me another example, you are trolling.
A freight corridor through the middle of downtown can hurt development (especially when there is little to no grade separation). I have to ask though, is Rocky Mount's situation all that different from other cities? Here in Charlotte, we do have downtown area freight lines, but there is quite a bit of grade separation which makes them somewhat unnoticed. The most intrusive of the old freight corridors is now a light rail corridor. In this pic, you can see just how intrusive this old freight corridor was. Turning it into a light rail corridor was a smart move IMO.
Goldsboro vs Kinston
When I look at cities like Goldsboro and Kinston, I'd have to say that Rocky Mount's rail road situation is a bit of a weak excuse. I mean let's be real, would Rocky Mount be much different in its central city if the railroad wasn't there (or had better grade separation)? Eastern NC is a rural area for the most part. With this comes cities and towns with weak downtown districts. Wilmington does well and so does Raleigh, but for the most part the stronger downtowns of this state are in the west (Asheville, Boone, Winston-Salem, Charlotte).
Last edited by urbancharlotte; 08-02-2012 at 04:47 AM..
A freight corridor through the middle of downtown can hurt development (especially when there is little to no grade separation). I have to ask though, is Rocky Mount's situation all that different from other cities? Here in Charlotte, we do have downtown area freight lines, but there is quite a bit of grade separation which makes them somewhat unnoticed.
There's a low brick wall on each side for a few blocks which delineate parking space, but otherwise it's the same raised median you find everywhere else. It's not just a freight line; the Amtrak station is downtown too. Of all the problems which have beset Rocky Mount, the location of their rail line doesn't even rank.
ehhh the tracks in the middle of town is not a valid reason. Wilson has an Amtrack station in down town that is used by both Amtrack and freight trains. Goldsboro, Kinston also have tracks in the middle of town. Ditto morehead city, Greenville I cannot remember honestly where the tracks are.
I would agree that I95 is about the only reason to put RM above Kinston,,, other than that I would agree on your order more or less.
Goldsboro and Kinston both have that intensely divided white/black feel. Though during the decline of the area over the past 20-30yrs much of the white population has moved outside their respective city limits and into the county and you see the black populations within the city limits increase to over 50%.
Low education, poverty, lack of industry, and crime will keep these two cities a slow or no growth for a long time unless a major change comes to the region. Outsourcing of manufacturing devastated Eastern NC (only Greenville has continued to prosper thanks to ECU).
Goldsboro does not have that feel unless you go to very specific areas of cities, that are predominantly black and poor. All of the "public places" in town are well integrated. As a matter of fact, you can go to some of these poorer areas and go to a place like the "Lighthouse" and see everyone stopping by for chow from laywers, to city workers, to residents of neighboring homes. Lighthouse does have the best chicken and breakfast (hoop cheese biscuits) in Goldsboro, though.
Although Rocky Mount is in a decline or at least was, it still feels much larger than cities such as Kinston in my opinion and actually feels more urban in some spots than Greenville (if you exclude ECU, which is the most urban area in East Carolina). I've always believed Rocky Mount-Wilson should have a close connection, and I believe that day will come soon with the RTP expanding.
I composed this list just now saying which city has the most potential or doing the best out of the cities we discussed:
1. Greenville
2. Wilson
3. Goldsboro
4. Rocky Mount
5. Kinston
Would you guys agree with that?
Goldsboro should be number two. Like I said before, the way Wayne County is, Goldsboro should be thought of as county wide thing, not the city in a vaccum. Goldsboro has everything it needs to grow. It just lacks the political will, while Wilson has issues that are actively working against it's growth. Though it is not anything to write home about, the past few months have seen no less than three national chain restaurants open or opening in the city. Shows there is money to made there, money there to be spent, it's just not much there to spend it on. The growth outside of the city can attriuted to all the Mcmansion developments being thrown up outside the limits, albeit they come with a decent yard. Unlike the ones I saw in NoVa. There's really no room to grow within the city limits. Of the new restaurants, one used an existing structure and the other two are being built in the mall parking lot. Goldsboro has tried to expand the city limits to the population that lives on the outskirts but some of the biggest proponents on de-annexation and stricter annexation laws are these communities surrounding Goldsboro.
I don't believe Goldsboro has as much potential Wilson has. Wilson truly has changed over the last seven years at nearly unprecedented levels for East Carolina, but it still has part of the city that looks like you could be in Cuba. With that said, people are moving to Wilson to either work in Greenville or Raleigh and that's whats driving it's growth. Just look at the retail scene, it has grown tremendously over the last few years. The amount of homes popping over the West Side can also be noted. If Goldsboro grows because of I-795 so does Wilson, if Greenville ever gets a interstate it will benefit both Greenville and Wilson, to make my point Wilson is in a much better position, geographically than Goldsboro and this will only fuel more growth and overall makes its potential better. It's literally surrounded by cities with decent potential to great potential. I wouldn't be surprised if Vidant or WakeMed buy Wilson Medical Center, those purchases alone could help Wilson plenty. If Raleigh continues to grow East Ward, Wilson will reap the benefits before Goldsboro does.
I don't believe Goldsboro has as much potential Wilson has. Wilson truly has changed over the last seven years at nearly unprecedented levels for East Carolina, but it still has part of the city that looks like you could be in Cuba. With that said, people are moving to Wilson to either work in Greenville or Raleigh and that's whats driving it's growth. Just look at the retail scene, it has grown tremendously over the last few years. The amount of homes popping over the West Side can also be noted. If Goldsboro grows because of I-795 so does Wilson, if Greenville ever gets a interstate it will benefit both Greenville and Wilson, to make my point Wilson is in a much better position, geographically than Goldsboro and this will only fuel more growth and overall makes its potential better. It's literally surrounded by cities with decent potential to great potential. I wouldn't be surprised if Vidant or WakeMed buy Wilson Medical Center, those purchases alone could help Wilson plenty. If Raleigh continues to grow East Ward, Wilson will reap the benefits before Goldsboro does.
Sorry, but i think Goldsboro does have as much potential as Wilson has. Goldsboro to has truly changed even in the last five years also at a very rapid pace, people are also moving to the Goldsboro/Wayne Co. area especially the western part of Goldsboro/Wayne Co which has seen a lot of retail and residential growth in the last five years. Western Wayne Co. is booming with residential developments and i think a lot of those people coming to this area are taking advantage of cheaper housing and commuting to Raleigh, i know several who are doing so. Goldsboro's infrastructure is rapidly changing with the addition of I 795 and a new freeway in Hwy 70 which i think puts it on a even scale with Wilson. Also i think Wayne County being larger than Wilson County makes Goldsboro's msa larger and the presence of SJAFB tips the scale giving Goldsboro the number two spot. Goldsboro i think constantly out does Wilson in job growth an employment statistics
I don't believe Goldsboro has as much potential Wilson has. Wilson truly has changed over the last seven years at nearly unprecedented levels for East Carolina, but it still has part of the city that looks like you could be in Cuba. With that said, people are moving to Wilson to either work in Greenville or Raleigh and that's whats driving it's growth.
Yeah it's absolutely ridiculous how far out people are willing to drive to work in Raleigh. Mebane is a bedroom community of RTP now too, wtf.
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