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Precisely. A lot of us would sooner identify with the Eastern Shore before we identify with Baltimore lol. Most of us here in the Maryland side of Suburban DC either dislike Bmore strongly, have a neutral opinion of it, or don't much care for it and view as the other city that's "just there" in our backyard. To me, it's an okay city with some pretty interesting and cool things and great architecture but overall, there's a lot about it that I don't really care for...I'm not really alone in this sentiment either, both on this board and in real life as well.
So, that being said, why do you hang out in the Baltimore forum so much? You obviously don't care for the place, correct?
However, I will give DC its props as their transportation system is one of the best. The metro is great and heavily used, and the freeway system (outside the actual district) is also very good. Yes, a lot of traffic, and some very rude drivers, but that would be expected in the nations capital.
So Chicago wins, but DC is still a better tourist stop, (both domestically and internationally), and I will always enjoy my trips to DC more than Chicago.
I think I'm in the minority, but I feel Baltimore and Washington regions are tied together and cohesive as markets and make a very large region extending a hundred of miles out, with a theme of government contract work and in general, government. But research and technology are very strong as well. While DC and Baltimore contrast each other, many in the region don't live in the cities itself, but in outlying counties.
There are 3 airports serving WAS, and a lot of various but cross traffic flows, e.g.people heading to DC using BWI because of Southwest, Baltimore region passengers catching international flights from Dulles, customers flying into BWI, returning out of DCA, etc.
From north, Baltimore's market unofficially starts from York County, PA. Many commuters from York head down to Maryland for work. DC's influence extends out to the Chambersburg/Hagerstown area, out in the western side of Central PA, but there is a blur in these counties. Many workers are doing some government contracted related work, even some in offices that are technically within Baltimore's metropolitan area.
Annapolis has the Naval Academy and feels very much DC area as it does Maryland. Regionally, Baltimore County has more population and is more an economic influence within MD than Baltimore City. Unlike New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Maryland is very county run and organized, with Montgomery County being the largest organized county, with a government that started a plastic bag tax for retail in that county alone.
State schools unify Maryland students across state, from within Baltimore region counties to Montgomery/PG counties, etc. Johns Hopkins also has campuses set up in both Baltimore and DC areas, and it remains influential in research and medicine. There is also blur from retail in Baltimore and DC. The same grocery chains are spread through the markets.
The only connection Central NJ has with Fairfield Co. Connecticut is NYC. With Northern Virginia and Baltimore/Harford County, similarly, it's DC that binds the two together, and there are state ties from the Maryland counties of DC (Montgomery,PG) with the rest of Baltimore's region's counties.
The TV markets are different, but I think TV stations as a whole have less influence than it did 15 years ago. They are mainly outlets for local weather and crime reporting. Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach also have different TV stations but the counties are viewed as South Florida. The regional sports networks are common in DC and Baltimore.
When I visit the Chicago region, I feel it's just a larger version of Philly, but still manageable to drive around and very easy in the downtown.
Driving around No.VA-DC-Maryland, I feel is much more exhausting, especially through DC itself.
Last edited by marltonguy; 07-23-2015 at 09:40 PM..
Baltimore sports fans are very loyal to their teams, ask Steelers and Yankees' fans. Many fans can be quite over the top.
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