America 2050
America 2050, a national infrastructure policy program, is the portion of RPA most directly related to our research problem of high speed rail in the United States. America 2050 examines the future infrastucture development of the United States through the concept of megaregions, regions composed of overlapping metropolitan areas that are tied together through economic markets, commuter travel, and environmental similarities. America 2050 points out that such megaregions call for cooperation in expanded transit development. In the densest, most traveled regions of the Northeaset Corridor and the state of California, this means high speed rail. The program argues that the development of high speed rail lines in these megaregions will encourage tremendous environmental growth and development, provided that teh regions implement proper planning of the rail route and surrounding regions. America 2050 conducts research and makes reports to educate policy makers about these important issues. ("Megaregions")
RPA 40
RPA has identified 11 megaregions in the United States including Cascadia, Northern California, Southern California, Arizona Sun Corridor, Front Range, Great Lakes, Texas Triangle, Gulf Coasr, Northeast, Piedmont Atlantic, and Florida. In these regions, metropolitan units have more or less grown into one connected region of development with no clear borders. Connected areas share local culture, envrionmental elements, infrastructure systems, and economies. Of the 11, America 2050 claims the Northeast, and Nothern and Southern California to be suitable for high speed rail development ("Megaregions"). America 2050 also claims that such megaregions are quickly becoming the globally competitive economic unit.
Publications
Megaregions
megareagions infor from http://www.america2050.org/content/megaregions.html#more
map from http://www.rpa.org/sites/rpa.civicactions.net/files/2050_Map_Megaregions2008_150.png
Find these and other publications at www.america2050.org
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