Analyzing Drivers, Fostering Megaregional Growth and Assessment Their Role in Urban Enlargements
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Master’s Thesis: Analyzing drivers, fostering megaregional growth and assessment their role in urban enlargements The comparative analysis of three cases: the BosWash Corridor (United States), the Central Economic Core (European Union) and the Greater Pearl River Delta (PRC) Year 2017/2018 Executive Master’s in Innovative Governance of Large Urban Systems, EPFL Supervisor: Prof. Matthias Finger Student: Sergei Maltcev Abstract This study examines a particular set of drivers and triggers that inevitably lead to the transformation of pre-integrated urban areas into coalesced polycentric megaregions, and key actors, by analyzing three different cases of the Boston-Washington (BosWash) Corridor, Central Economic Core and Greater Pearl River Delta. The objectives are to contribute to scientific literature on megaregional studies and, in each case above, give an assessment reporting transport development, socio-economic issues and policy both at national and international levels. Keywords: Megaregion, BosWash, RPA, Blue Banana, Central Economic Core, GPRD, Interreg, CPC, Pearl River Delta Acknowledgements Many thanks to Professor Matthias Finger for the opportunity to participate in this unique and outstanding program in urban studies that achieves a global perspective while covering particular issues within each module. Finger’s solid scientific background, and the multidisciplinary approach of his team, lead to practical, well-framed research and educational processes. I would express my delight and wish Professor long and productive activity and further scientific discoveries. 2 Table of Content I. Introduction and problem statement ................................................................................................. 6 Methodology ............................................................................................................................................. 8 II. Literature review ................................................................................................................................. 8 A. The history of megaregional research and definitions ....................................................................... 9 1. The history of the definition and its forms ....................................................................................... 10 2. Different approaches for megaregional studies ............................................................................... 12 B. Infrastructure, Transport & Technologies ........................................................................................ 17 1. The role of transport development in emerging of megaregions .................................................... 17 2. Technological progress ..................................................................................................................... 19 C. Socio-Economic Drivers .................................................................................................................... 20 1. Social aspects of global and regional economic growth ................................................................... 21 2. The economic drivers ........................................................................................................................ 22 D. Political drivers .................................................................................................................................. 24 1. Situation in the USA .......................................................................................................................... 24 2. Current situation in EU ...................................................................................................................... 25 3. Chinese perspectives ........................................................................................................................ 26 4. The governance aspects .................................................................................................................... 28 E. Main conclusions .............................................................................................................................. 29 III. Case analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 31 A. BosWash corridor (the USA) ............................................................................................................. 31 1. History of emergence and current status ......................................................................................... 31 2. The role of transport ......................................................................................................................... 32 3. Socio-economic drivers ..................................................................................................................... 40 4. Political drivers .................................................................................................................................. 48 B. The Central Economic Core (EU) ....................................................................................................... 51 1. History of appearance and current status ........................................................................................ 51 2. The role of transport/infrastructure ................................................................................................. 54 3. Socio-economic drivers ..................................................................................................................... 58 4. Political drivers .................................................................................................................................. 63 C. Greater Pearl River Delta (China) ...................................................................................................... 73 1. History of appearance and current status ........................................................................................ 73 2. The role of transport/infrastructure ................................................................................................. 75 3. Socio-economic drivers ..................................................................................................................... 82 4. Political drivers .................................................................................................................................. 92 3 IV. Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 98 A. Summary upon each case ................................................................................................................. 98 1. The BosWash corridor (the USA) ...................................................................................................... 98 2. The Central Economic Core (the EU)................................................................................................. 99 3. The Greater Pearl River Delta (China) ............................................................................................ 100 B. Comparison ..................................................................................................................................... 101 V. Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 108 VI. Further Research ............................................................................................................................. 113 VII. Bibliography .................................................................................................................................... 114 List of figures Figure 1. Spatial juxtaposition of different concepts for large urban areas. .............................................. 16 Figure 2. Map of BosWash. Gotmann, 1957 (to the left) & Regional Plan Association, 2007 .................... 32 Figure 3. US Federal Investments in Intercity transportation, 1949-2008 ................................................. 33 Figure 4. Share of 2010 NEC Intercity Trips ................................................................................................. 35 Figure 5. Historical Federal Funding Leverage by Mode ............................................................................. 36 Figure 6. Major U.S. City Commute Patterns, 2008 .................................................................................... 37 Figure 7. Northeast Corridor (NEC) needs huge investments for eliminating bottlenecks and upgrading aging bridges and tunnels ........................................................................................................................... 38 Figure 8. NEC FUTURE’s economic effect on labor market within BosWash .............................................. 39 Figure 9. Change in BosWash specialization 1990 – 2004 .......................................................................... 41 Figure 10. Poverty Rates in Northeast Cities and U.S. ................................................................................ 41 Figure 11. Percent Change in Middle Income Families from 1990–2000. .................................................. 42 Figure 12. Federal Tax Expenditures per $1 (2004) .................................................................................... 43 Figure 13. Camden City School District, NJ ................................................................................................