Most cohesive tri-state area (NY/NJ/CT) (PA/NJ/DE) (DC/MD/VA) (better, map)

[the resident09]

In light of the upcoming Papal visit to the corridor, It has me thinking which is the most cohesive tri-state area out of the following cities. Each of these regions MSA's actually include 4 states but we'll just leave it to the top three in each. Greater New York, NJ, and CT, the Philly metro with PA, NJ, and DE, and the DC area as the de facto "state". DC operates independently of MD/VA with it's own central government/budget etc.


Criteria can be any of the following:

-Transit connections between each separate jurisdiction to the others

- Roads/ Highway connections

-Job Locales, where is the center of gravity, how many commute to each from the others

-Amount of license plates seen from the other states in the region

-Tunnels/Bridges connecting the three to each other

-Regional economy how connected are the three to one another

-Police/ Emergency forces in times of crisis

I reason to believe that the Washington DC has better transit connections across the area both due to the Beltway and Metro access in each of the three jurisdictions. By car, train, and other forms of transit you can get from MD to VA with ease just as DC to VA or MD to DC.

[JerseyGirl415]

IMHO no states are closer at the metro level that NY and NJ. I know CT is included in the tri-state but the NY-NJ relationship is IMO unique.

[the resident09]

Originally Posted by JerseyGirl415

IMHO no states are closer at the metro level that NY and NJ. I know CT is included in the tri-state but the NY-NJ relationship is IMO unique.

Valid point, but to me it seems like CT is normally an after thought to the Tri-state area. Which is why I feel DC/MD/VA is more equally balanced with activity amongst all three. When concerning two states NY-NJ are very close though.

[kidphilly]

All three have significant rail connections

NY/NJ have subway connections not CT - just RR
PA/NJ have subway connections not DE - just RR
DC/MD/VA have Subway conections

all three are pretty well intertwined, not sure one anymore than the others

NY has more people than the other that flow from either CT or NJ to NY, but is also the largest

DC has the lowest natural barrier impediment to the core, None on the MD/DC border and the smallest river on the other

In the end they are seemless metros with the state borders more just lines on a map than any cut point

[Mutiny77]

DMV for sure...no toll to go in and out of DC from Maryland or Virginia, and the Potomac River isn't as big of a natural barrier as the Delaware or the Hudson.

[the resident09]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

DMV for sure...no toll to go in and out of DC from Maryland or Virginia, and the Potomac River isn't as big of a natural barrier as the Delaware or the Hudson.

One can quite literally stand on one side of the street and be in DC, then cross to the other side and be in Maryland. I also point to the cross commuting for jobs with NOVA having so many available. The jobs are not only centered in Washington, many Marylanders and DC residents work at places in VA.

[Trafalgar Law]

You could probably add Chicago as well as it is a metropolis that spans 3 states. Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Also, unlike the other three metropolitan areas in this thread, Chicagoland has no geographic barriers separating its urban sprawl from those other states. Nope, not even a river of any size or width. So it essentially just flows without ever stopping, from one state to the next and the only way you know you've left one state for another is when the sign says "welcome to (insert here)."

However of the choices given, compelling arguments can be made for all three. I'll say the Tri-State Area with New York, despite the width of the Hudson, the density is extreme on both sides of the Hudson (New York and New Jersey).

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by Red John

However of the choices given, compelling arguments can be made for all three. I'll say the Tri-State Area with New York, despite the width of the Hudson, the density is extreme on both sides of the Hudson (New York and New Jersey).

True, but there's still a significant change going from Jersey into Manhattan while DC blends in with Maryland and Virginia much more seamlessly IMO. The Maryland and Virginia suburbs function as extensions of DC with all of the government agency headquarters located on both sides of the border.

[BigCityDreamer]

The NYC area is so massive, densely populated and built up that it feels more cohesive than almost anywhere else.

Looking out from the top of the Empire State Building, you feel like you're at the center of the world.

[the resident09]

Originally Posted by Red John

You could probably add Chicago as well as it is a metropolis that spans 3 states. Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Also, unlike the other three metropolitan areas in this thread, Chicagoland has no geographic barriers separating its urban sprawl from those other states. Nope, not even a river of any size or width. So it essentially just flows without ever stopping, from one state to the next and the only way you know you've left one state for another is when the sign says "welcome to (insert here)."

However of the choices given, compelling arguments can be made for all three. I'll say the Tri-State Area with New York, despite the width of the Hudson, the density is extreme on both sides of the Hudson (New York and New Jersey).

I also thought of adding New England area as well. One question about Chicago area, for the category of seeing license plates from the other states in the region. How prevalent is that in Chicagoland? Here in the DMV you can get to any of the three jurisdictions without going through a second state so we often see each other's license plates across the metro. From Indiana to Wisconsin you obviously have to pass through Illinois. Is there much cross commuting all the way across that stretch?