The Urbanophile attempts to separate the hype from the usefulness of the concept of the 'megaregion', deciding in the end that it is a 'convenient abstraction for federal-level thinkers.'
"So apart from any real world manifestation megaregions might have, they are an important organizational construct in creating a hierarchy in any sort of large, multi-city geography like the United States or Europe. Megaregions enable people to conceptualize and manage these complex, fine grained territories. It is applying to metro areas the same regional aggregation concept used for functions like the Federal Reserve System (12 regional fed banks) or the federal district court system (11 appellate districts). That is, megaregions are necessary purely as a level in the hierarchy, even if they prove to be a phantom level."
FULL STORY: Review: Megaregions, Edited by Catherine L. Ross
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Reforming Local Development Regulations for Sustainable Megaregions
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Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation
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