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Obviously, you've never been to a third world country if you think that's third world. And it looks like a lot of houses are being torn down and replaced with newer ones throughout that view. But hey, why let get facts in the way of an agenda? I don't even like Phoenix, but I wouldn't describe it as a third world city at all.
Obviously, you've never been to a third world country if you think that's third world. And it looks like a lot of houses are being torn down and replaced with newer ones throughout that view. But hey, why let get facts in the way of an agenda? I don't even like Phoenix, but I wouldn't describe it as a third world city at all.
With poverty growing in the US, I think US cities and their infrastructure often don't appear to be first-world. That shot of Phoenix isn't what I'm referring to though. Our investment into infrastructure in our cities and rampant poverty with violence does fall into 3rd world category (and I have been to a few 3rd world countries).
That's part of how I see the OP's question. A city like Baltimore is interesting because it has a good size population, is intact to an extent, but then has so many neighborhoods that are filled with gun violence and open air drug markets. Then take a look at our subways and older infrastructure. Even NYC's subway stations often look like caves.
Philadelphia is another interesting case. City bus stations are being revamped, but transit stations and roads in the city are not representative of the "richest country in the world". And then the enormous swaths of neighborhoods with open air drug markets and gun violence are definitely 3rd world; same as Baltimore.
When we're talking about cities with a weak core and strong suburbs, I think economy, safety, transportation, housing/density, cultural offerings all come into play. Cities that have large city limits with suburbia and rural, should be parred down to the "core" for comparison's sake. Especially with a city like Phoenix.
With poverty growing in the US, I think US cities and their infrastructure often don't appear to be first-world. That shot of Phoenix isn't what I'm referring to though. Our investment into infrastructure in our cities and rampant poverty with violence does fall into 3rd world category (and I have been to a few 3rd world countries).
That's part of how I see the OP's question. A city like Baltimore is interesting because it has a good size population, is intact to an extent, but then has so many neighborhoods that are filled with gun violence and open air drug markets. Then take a look at our subways and older infrastructure. Even NYC's subway stations often look like caves.
Philadelphia is another interesting case. City bus stations are being revamped, but transit stations and roads in the city are not representative of the "richest country in the world". And then the enormous swaths of neighborhoods with open air drug markets and gun violence are definitely 3rd world; same as Baltimore.
When we're talking about cities with a weak core and strong suburbs, I think economy, safety, transportation, housing/density, cultural offerings all come into play. Cities that have large city limits with suburbia and rural, should be parred down to the "core" for comparison's sake. Especially with a city like Phoenix.
America has terrible infrastructure because legislators from the sticks, who resent cities control the purse-strings.
America has terrible infrastructure because legislators from the sticks, who resent cities control the purse-strings.
A large part of it IMO is that too many roads are built everywhere and not enough of a balance across modes is applied. We can only afford to maintain so many roads, and that burden dries up a large majority of the transportation budget.
It would only make sense if the city was reliant on the suburbs for jobs, cultural attractions, and entertainment. For the most part, that is not true. Jerry World out in Arlington is rather minor in the grand scheme of things. DFW is essentially LA-Orange County -- strong cities AND strong suburbs. Weak city/strong suburbs would actually be Metro Detroit. Perhaps Phoenix as well.
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