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In my experience people primarily move to the Sunbelt for larger/newer housing paired with job opportunities. Driving is a consequence of the less dense housing.
Really though, most people moving here are coming from areas that are themselves suburban (they are just colder). I'm honestly struggling to think of a single person that I know well personally who grew up as a child in a highly urban part of a US city and then moved to the sunbelt. On the other hand I know many people who grew up in the sunbelt suburbs and moved to an urban city in their 20s and 30s.
Boston makes a lot of sense over New York. It’s a smaller city in square miles and New York still has many sprawled areas despite how urban it is that require car usage. Eastern Queens and most of Staten Island.
Newark looks like a bus city and or car city.
Newark would def probably be better off than NYC if the NJ leaders extended the Path line across the city
I disagree. A good chunk of Boston really isn't serviced that well by bus or train IMO. ITs winding side innumerable streets make getting to an actual bus stop a chore in some places. Same kind of issue with Providence but maybe worse in terms of convoluted streets that get no bus service. And the subway ignores the whole southern 1/3rd or at least 1/4thof the city pretty much. I didnt owna car when I lived in Boston from age 18-23. Most people have a car there- not the case in NYC and theres good reason too.
LIRR in Queens is much better than MBTA Commuter Rail in West Roxbury, Hyde Park, Roslindale.
You could say Providence is more walkable and I wouldn't even argue.
I'm talking travel around the city and outside of the city. Hartford seems more practical on balance throughout the city, at least if you have a bus pass. Its cold up there much of the year walking isn't always a good choice. Probably easier to bike too because its flatter. On top of that theres direct and easy proximity to high paying jobs in Hartford.
Bus system also seems more robust in Hartford. Both city and suburbs. Also CTRail is more affordable than the MBTA.
Providence is more walkable as in a larger contiguous area that has a pretty high density of varied stores and services with enough residential density to support these and to actually have people walking around doing these things--or more succinctly, easier to live without a car. I can understand thinking about traveling throughout the city without a car, but I did say while that correlates to some extent, that's not what I'm thinking about as there's a reasonable distinction between traveling throughout a city without a car and living in an area without a car. One nice thing about Providence is that there's also another major employment center in College Hill due to the colleges which is contiguous with downtown.
I'm not sure that transit is markedly better in Hartford than in Providence, but that's only one factor among many.
Definitely happy to learn more about Hartford though since I want to take the Hartford Line / Valley Flyer at some point and would love to figure out things to do. Might bring a hammer and start breaking down the freeways cutting off the waterfront or neighborhoods to the north and west of downtown.
Last edited by OyCrumbler; 07-13-2023 at 12:40 PM..
Boston makes a lot of sense over New York. It’s a smaller city in square miles and New York still has many sprawled areas despite how urban it is that require car usage. Eastern Queens and most of Staten Island.
Newark looks like a bus city and or car city.
Newark would def probably be better off than NYC if the NJ leaders extended the Path line across the city
There are plans to extend PATH to Newark Liberty Airport station/South Ward from Newark Penn.
Newark also has a light rail system (Newark City subway), but its lightly used (on par with Baltimore light rail).
Newark has very good public transportation infrastructure due to its location and surroundings. If it wasn't a depressed city for so long, it could've been huge.
PATH in general is very underrated. While it is an afterthought compared to other NYC area rail transit (NYC subway, LIRR, Metro North, NJT), in the US context it has bigger ridership than BART or SEPTA.... which makes it fairly big.
I disagree. A good chunk of Boston really isn't serviced that well by bus or train IMO. ITs winding side innumerable streets make getting to an actual bus stop a chore in some places. Same kind of issue with Providence but maybe worse in terms of convoluted streets that get no bus service. And the subway ignores the whole southern 1/3rd or at least 1/4thof the city pretty much. I didnt owna car when I lived in Boston from age 18-23. Most people have a car there- not the case in NYC and theres good reason too.
LIRR in Queens is much better than MBTA Commuter Rail in West Roxbury, Hyde Park, Roslindale.
It's still a hassle. I work for New York City now, and while the city is denser and there are more options for transit... Boston is more manageable. I love walking in NYC, but Boston definitely edges it out.
Living in New Jersey is a nightmare recently with all the cancelled trains, derailments and service disruptions... so maybe if I lived East of the Hudson I would enjoy it a little more. But thats kind of the issue in NYC, while it can be more walkable than Boston in spots... its just way less manageable.
There are plans to extend PATH to Newark Liberty Airport station/South Ward from Newark Penn.
Newark also has a light rail system (Newark City subway), but its lightly used (on par with Baltimore light rail).
Newark has very good public transportation infrastructure due to its location and surroundings. If it wasn't a depressed city for so long, it could've been huge.
PATH in general is very underrated. While it is an afterthought compared to other NYC area rail transit (NYC subway, LIRR, Metro North, NJT), in the US context it has bigger ridership than BART or SEPTA.... which makes it fairly big.
PATH is amazing. Truly is great.
However, if you live in/near a PATH Station... you pay $$$$$ for it. Newark, Hoboken, Jersey City, Harrison... leaving most people to have to rely on NJT. NJT is abysmal right now because of the Hudson Tunnel, deferred track maintenance and consistent cancellations and closures.
I made a joke the other day when NJT cancelled all NY bound trains, while yes the MBTA has certain 10mph speed restrictions... I will take 15mph over a 0mph cancelled train!
However, if you live in/near a PATH Station... you pay $$$$$ for it. Newark, Hoboken, Jersey City, Harrison... leaving most people to have to rely on NJT. NJT is abysmal right now because of the Hudson Tunnel, deferred track maintenance and consistent cancellations and closures.
I made a joke the other day when NJT cancelled all NY bound trains, while yes the MBTA has certain 10mph speed restrictions... I will take 15mph over a 0mph cancelled train!
Yea, maybe this country's infrastructure could use a bit of work. Just a little.
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