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Miami-Fort Lauderdale is a CSA. Besides, what purpose would combining the Triangle serve? Would it bring more urbanity to Raleigh? Would it make light rail funding easier? Will it help land more jobs to the area? The answer is no. So what is the point? The average Joe has no clue what the metro population of their area is anyway.
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach is technically an MSA, although there is no larger CSA encompassing it.
You're making an assumption that regional cooperation should trump all other factors.
From Raleigh's perspective, Durham is one periphery point, just as Clayton, Wake Forest, Cary and the like.
Like it or not, this region is *not* based around downtown Raleigh. Much of the pressure over reunifying as a single MSA comes from those who wish it to be so.
...or so I'm told. The politics on this are thorny, and I'm actually *much* less passionate about this than those who've bent my ear on the subject.
This issue is not about being centered around DT Raleigh. I never said it was. Those are your words. This is about serious regional planning issues that include light rail transportation, regional planning, RTP, etc. Using your logic, RDU should just change its name to RCA (Raleigh, Cary, Apex) or RCC (Raleigh, Cary, Clayton). After all, it's in the Raleigh/Cary metro area. Let Durham go build its own airport. See my point?
Nobody says that each city can't have its own identity while still effectively working together for the common good.
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach is technically an MSA, although there is no larger CSA encompassing it.
You are correct. It's a MSA of millions of people stretched over 110 miles. In the end, Raleigh and Durham have a much closer alignment than Miami does to West Palm Beach. In addition to being about 60 miles apart, the two cities are culturally, economically and socially dissimilar.
There are MANY metros in the US that can make the same claim. If they change the rules for the Triangle, then the new rule will apply to all US metros. The Triangle would grow in MSA population, but so would EVERYBODY else. In the end, a combined Triangle would not move up much on a largest metro population list.
Besides, Raleigh's small metro has helped Raleigh become 'the fastest growing metro in the country'. If the relatively slower growth of Durham was added to Raleigh, then Austin and Charlotte would be the Nation's fastest growing. Being small has its perks.
Raleigh/Durham used to be one Metro when they were smaller cities and further apart. As they both grew, so did their interdependence. Highways were added (I-40, I-540) and the cities actually came together on a common border. So, now that they are more related to each other than ever, they split the area in two? It just doesn't make sense to me. This is especially true when compared to the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach MSA. There are several central cities with their own identities in that metro yet they remain one metro area. In fact, that metro includes West Palm Beach and it's not even mentioned in the name of it. The Census deals with those different central cities as metropolitan divisions within the MSA. I think that's how the Triangle should be. So, in effect, I am not asking the Census to make an exception for the Triangle, I would be asking them to treat the Triangle like other metros with similar relationships. BTW, the same argument could probably be made for the Triad. They too got split up for reasons that I don't understand.
As for your comment about growth rates, you are correct. The Raleigh side has historically grown much faster than the Durham side. So, it's nothing new and I really don't care about losing the distinction about being the fastest growing metro in the nation. We are going to lose it anyway. Nobody remains the fastest grower forever. Wake will be the most populated county in the state before too long according to projections and it will not be able to sustain growth at the same rate.
As a side note, the largest number of in state new residents in Wake County come from Durham County. I'd imagine a similar pattern exists from Wake to Durham but I haven't seen that data.
I have a hunch that RTP officials only use the new CSA numbers when marketing the "Park". So, to answer a previous question about census numbers helping with job creation, I am guessing that they definitely do.
Miami-Fort Lauderdale is a CSA. Besides, what purpose would combining the Triangle serve? Would it bring more urbanity to Raleigh? Would it make light rail funding easier? Will it help land more jobs to the area? The answer is no. So what is the point? The average Joe has no clue what the metro population of their area is anyway.
I'm not advocating combining. Just throwing some facts on the fire. See my original post in this thread. I don't see the definition of an MSA as being all that relevant to anything.
BTW: OMB lists Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach as MSA #33100. See OMB Bulletin 09-01.
Technically Raleigh and Durham straddle, Wake and Durham counties. Correct me if I'm wrong. That should be a reason to recombine alone, since counties are used as defining boundaries, for CSA/MSA's.
Technically Raleigh and Durham straddle, Wake and Durham counties. Correct me if I'm wrong. That should be a reason to recombine alone, since counties are used as defining boundaries, for CSA/MSA's.
Actually, there is an example of this not being the case already in NC. Kannapolis is in Cabarrus and Rowan counties. However, Cabarrus county is Charlotte's MSA and Rowan is a part of the CSA (Salisbury micropolitan area).
To answer your question, I think the census ignores city limits. There are other examples throughout the country where this is the case.
Actually, there is an example of this not being the case already in NC. Kannapolis is in Cabarrus and Rowan counties. However, Cabarrus county is Charlotte's MSA and Rowan is a part of the CSA (Salisbury micropolitan area).
To answer your question, I think the census ignores city limits. There are other examples throughout the country where this is the case.
That still didn't answer my question though. Why are city limits being ignored? I would also think Kannapolis is rather irrelevent when considering major cities in Charlotte area...
That still didn't answer my question though. Why are city limits being ignored?
I am not sure, but my guess is because city limits move. Counties tend to stay the same. If all it took was for a city to annex itself into a neighboring county (like Raleigh has done into Durham county) in order to gain more MSA counties, every city in America would do it. Again, I am not sure if this is the logic behind the census rules. It makes sense though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by metro.m
I would also think Kannapolis is rather irrelevent when considering major cities in Charlotte area...
I guess you haven't heard of the North Carolina Biotech Lab in Kannapolis. It is one of the largest such labs in North America. All of the major schools in NC have a presence on the lab's campus. I would say Kannapolis is EASILY one of the most important towns in metro Charlotte. Probably one of the most important towns in the entire state.
Using your logic, RDU should just change its name to RCA (Raleigh, Cary, Apex) or RCC (Raleigh, Cary, Clayton). After all, it's in the Raleigh/Cary metro area. Let Durham go build its own airport. See my point?
Isn't part of the RDU airport in Durham County???? Not a 100% sure about this though. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I do think more regional planning is needed. But I'm not sure combining Raleigh & Durham into the same MSA is necessary.... it might be.
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Isn't part of the RDU airport in Durham County???? 
