Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
With the current pandemic in progress, and predictions of future pandemics as bad or worse than this one, is a high "urban density" really something a city should aspire to have ? Maybe we need to take a second look at this "urban density" trend so many people seem to find so important to a higher quality of life in a city.
Maybe though among places that have handled the pandemic the best are some of the most urban and dense cities in the developed world. It seems to be a lot more about preparedness and coordinated action based on medical and scientific expertise than it is about density.
What predictions are there of future pandemics? Not saying it wont happen, but it's been over 100 years since our last major pandemic. Keeping my fingers crossed.
The one thing that Milwaukee has that no other Midwestern city has (outside of Chicago), is it sits on a lake, that looks like an ocean. Downtown Milwaukee is on Lake Michigan. Cars are parked from all over the USA along the lake, with people out everywhere looking at the beauty. I do not exaggerate, as I see it every time I'm there. Maybe not so much in the winter, but every other season....the lakefront is loaded with sightseers. I know Cleveland is on a lake, but Milwaukee's lakefront is stunning, and a huge draw to the city. Public beaches, restaurants, coffee shops, and downtown itself.
With the current pandemic in progress, and predictions of future pandemics as bad or worse than this one, is a high "urban density" really something a city should aspire to have ? Maybe we need to take a second look at this "urban density" trend so many people seem to find so important to a higher quality of life in a city.
I think this thread is about more than just density, but to respond to your point - I think that's short-sighted thinking. There are other measures that can be taken to prevent/mitigate the spread of disease. Encouraging urban density is one of the most important things we can do to combat climate change, which is a huge existential threat, and has been shown to improve physical and mental health.
Not to mention, America greatly lags behind the rest of the world in terms of urbanity and density and we're still being hit pretty hard by COVID beyond NYC.
Last edited by Vincent_Adultman; 05-20-2020 at 01:15 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
