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.
Yup. The Mississippi/Ohio River cities, you could add Memphis to it as well. The relative importance of the Mississippi river has been fading since the mid 1800s. A consequence of the country growing so fast in such a short period of time combined with incredibly fast technological advances; mainly railroad.
If we had all the technology we have now, and the entire country at 1776, half those places wouldn't need to exist.
Nashville sorta bucks that trend, its growing and I would include it in your geographic belt.
These are good points.
Kansas City, Cincinnati, Louisville, St Louis, and Memphis - and even New Orleans - are seeing sluggish growth and fading prominence. I think the river growth is for sure waning, and its importance is fading as technology advances, resulting in much slower growth for all of these cities.
And Nashville definitely bucks the trend. It sits on the opposite side of the category these cities are in-booming growth and development.
Kansas City, Cincinnati, Louisville, St Louis, and Memphis - and even New Orleans - are seeing sluggish growth and fading prominence. I think the river growth is for sure waning, and its importance is fading as technology advances, resulting in much slower growth for all of these cities.
And Nashville definitely bucks the trend. It sits on the opposite side of the category these cities are in-booming growth and development.
Like all port cities, containerization eliminated like 90% of Longshoreman jobs so you can move a lot more stuff with many fewer people. River freight has been increasing you just can’t build an economy based on like 250 jobs
I always wish Pittsburgh had built at least one light rail line, north and east of downtown to cover those parts of town. That said there are buses that run to those nicer areas, plus a busway with limited stop buses that go out to that part of Pittsburgh.
And all the talk about Cleveland, makes me want to revisit there myself.
Agreed. As successful as the MLK/East Busway is -- it is truly the fastest and best BRT in this country I have seen -- I so much wish it was converted to LRT and connected with the current system through that Penn Station T station stub (even though, yes, the route narrows to a single track (b/c of a major highrise tower's foundation) before reaching the Steel Plaza junction station). The MLK bus route cuts through many high-population areas such as Bloomfield, Shadyside, East Liberty, Wilkinsburg, and Swissville, and could be extended out even farther along the river.
Converting the MLK to a rail line would make so much sense -- and obviously the foundation, right of way, and stations already exist. Connecting this key spine line to the T system would be amazing.
Nashville will get its act together I think, with infrastructure. I think Nashville will eventually get a rapid rail system going--I think the city is headed that way, eventually
I think Nashville shot itself in the foot by declining the transit referendum. The trillion dollar federal infrastructure money doesn't come around that often. There are many cities that are ready to move forward with their portion of funds. Many will be seeing grand opening dates within 10 to 15 years.
Quote:
Both Memphis and St Louis will see bright spots here and there, but both cities will struggle with growth. Both are different cities, but have simillar crime and poverty, stagnation and decline.
Memphis has much more to lose since it depends heavily on logistics and shipping (FedEx/cargo in general). St Louis has a much bigger educational base and better healthcare. And overall, the St Louis suburbs are better, and of course the area is bigger with more job opportunities and corporations.
St. Louis situation is very different than Memphis. St. Louis's regional poverty rate is 10.7% compared to Memphis at 17.3%. (Charlotte 11.7, Nashville 12.4% and Raleigh 9.2%) St. Louis unemployment rate is at 2.8% that is lower than Raleigh, Charlotte and Dallas. That compares to Memphis at 3.8%.
*BLS.GOV and Data USA
St. Louis's Chouteau’s Landing project is not only going to change the St. Louis riverfront but the entire construction industry. The innovations district promises to change the way we do construction nationwide. The mighty Mississippi may be coming back. https://www.kmov.com/2022/11/22/excl...tion-industry/
St. Louis's problem is with the way it does business. Not that it cant grow in and of itself. It competes with itself for business and growth and that has proven to be backwards many years ago. If the area develops a regional growth strategy. Make Downtown the regions business hub and do something with the Airports both Lambert and Mid America.
I think Nashville shot itself in the foot by declining the transit referendum. The trillion dollar federal infrastructure money doesn't come around that often. There are many cities that are ready to move forward with their portion of funds. Many will be seeing grand opening dates within 10 to 15 years.
There will be another transit referendum, after the failure of the 2018 vote. The way Nashville is booming and growing-- the demand is very much there, and needed.
I'd be very surprised if they don't put it up for a proposed vote again. Last I read, they were planning to in 2024 or 2026.
As for Memphis vs St Louis, yeah, Memphis' poverty is a big problem, and one of its stubborn issues. Add in crime, and that's one big reason it stays relatively stagnant with job and economic growth & development, while it's sister state city 3 hours up the road booms and booms.
There will be another transit referendum, after the failure of the 2018 vote. The way Nashville is booming and growing-- the demand is very much there, and needed.
I'd be very surprised if they don't put it up for a proposed vote again. Last I read, they were planning to in 2024 or 2026.
As for Memphis vs St Louis, yeah, Memphis' poverty is a big problem, and one of its stubborn issues. Add in crime, and that's one big reason it stays relatively stagnant with job and economic growth & development, while it's sister state city 3 hours up the road booms and booms.
I agree. Nashville will have another transit referendum within the next year or two. The city seems to be following a similar path as Austin as they’ve had a transit referendum that didn’t pass in the mid 2000’s.
I’d suspect with all the growth from transplants from other larger cities the need for transit is much greater than in 2018 and should lead to the referendum passing the second go round.
Would love to see a better approach with educating the masses as well since it seems the miseducation tactics used by opponents seemed to easily sway the masses to a no vote.
There is actually plenty to do within a short drive of Chicago, or even in the suburbs. It's certainly not bereft of hiking opportunities. Lots to do in WI, as well...as many Chicagoans have discovered. I kind of love the lakefront trail....beautiful views of the city and Lake Michigan. Views that are hard to beat.
The lakefront trail is a crowded sidewalk alongside a lake. Chicago arguably has the least opportunity for outdoor recreation among the 50 biggest cities in the US and I think almost nobody seriously argues to the contrary. People who love Chicago love the whole "life indoors" kind of motif. Some call it lethargy and I guess Chicago people would call it a vibe, but it's impossible to look at what even most Midwestern metros offer and suggest that a sidewalk along a lake is even marginally comparable.
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.
