MegaRegions and the Supersizing of America

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Mega-Regions and the Supersizing of America

• Ben Starrett
• Funders Network for Smart Growth and Livable
  Communities
• October 8, 2006

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Overview

• About the Funders Network
• National trends
• Emerging Mega-Regions
• A closer look at one Mega-Region
• One response underway
• Discussion what does this mean for funders and
  what can they do about it?

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About the Funders Network

• Exists to Inspire, Support and Catalyze
  Philanthropic Leadership
• Membership organization
• 42 community foundations
• 41 state, regional or local funders
• 21 national funders
• Offers three primary services

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The Central Question

• The core of the issue is not so much about Smart
  Growth, but about encouraging better decisions
  about growth and development
• In other words, how will future growth and
  development decisions that impact what you care
  about make things better instead of worse?

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European and American Precedents
Credit University of Pennsylvania
European global integration zones
U. Penn 2004 Plan for America Studio
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Emerging U.S. Mega-Regions
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National Trends

• Rapid Population Growth and Demographic Change
• From 1990 to 2000 population grew from 248
  million to 281 million (13)
• Any day now the U.S. will hit 300 million
• By 2050, projected population is 420 million
  people
• But uneven and inequitable growth patterns

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U.S. Population Change 2000 - 2050
U.S. Population Change 2005-2050
Credit University of Pennsylvania
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ff
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National Trends

• Infrastructure Systems are Reaching Limits
• Many roads, bridges, and sewer systems are
  nearing end of design life
• Long history of ignoring maintenance in favor of
  expansion
• Improving but inadequate balance in systems
  compounds capacity constraints

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National Trends

• Inefficient land consumption and conversion of
  valuable environmental resources
• Average housing densities continue to decline
• Now seeing ratios of 31 up to 71 in land
  consumption vs population growth
• Top reasons for biodiversity loss linked to
  transportation and land use decisions

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Two Sides of the Same Coin Sprawl and
Abandonment
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National Trends

• Emergence of Mega-Regions without effective units
  of governance
• Metro NYC is now in four states
• Chat-lanta now includes part of Alabama
• Of the 3 million people that will be added to
  Houston by 2020, 40 will locate outside of
  jurisdictions with planning and zoning functions

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National Trends

• Plus others
• Global warming and climate change
• Transportation sector responsible for 30 of
  green house gas emissions
• Mounting energy crisis
• Global trading patterns and competition

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Defining the Mega-Region
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• Environment and Topography
• Economic Relationships
• Infrastructure
• Settlement Patterns and Land Use
• Culture and History

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Northeast Megalopolis
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Defining the Mega-Region
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Major Metropolitan Areas
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How is the Northeast Connected?
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Environmental Features and Topography
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Transportation Infrastructure
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Transportation Infrastructure
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2000
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2025
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2050
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Opportunities for Collaboration
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NE Action Agenda - Environment
Landscape and Estuary Protection
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NE Action Agenda - Transportation
I-95 Highway coalition
Amtrak Northeast Corridor
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NE Action Agenda Land Use
Coordinate State Plans to curtail sprawl
Promote infill development and center
revitalization
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Building a Northeast Network
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Enhance Regional Connections
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Protect the Eco-Structure
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Develop an Action Agenda
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Why a focus on Mega-Regions?

• Challenges occur at scale greater than
  metropolitan region or states
• Chance to Compete with global integration zones
• Opportunity to Coordinate major investments in
  infrastructure
• Potential to Organize federal policies

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Goals of America 2050

• Create a national framework for prosperity,
  growth and competitiveness
• Build a world class multimodal transportation
  system
• Protect Environmental Landscapes
• Expand Economic and Social Opportunities for all
• Create Globally competitive regions

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Resources

• www.America2050.org
• www.fundersnetwork.org

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Discussion

• What questions do you have?
• What issues/challenges are you facing?
• What else do you want to talk about?
• How can we help?