I think the higher costs ARE changing things for them, but just that it's a highly uneven and fairly slow process. Just look at Boston --> Quincy/Malden/Worcester/Salem/Portsmouth/Nashua/Portland, and even that's a poor example just because Boston has so many satellites.
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But yeah, it's all about proximity, and small cities that are more than 1-1.5 hours from their regional hub but aren't big enough to sustain urban renewal on their own are fucked.
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But that doesn't mean it's not happening. Just look at DC spilling over into Baltimore and Richmond, or Chicago spilling over into Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Grand Rapids, or the gentrification of the small cities in the Texas triangle, and you'll see what I mean.
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It's just a highly, almost cruelly uneven process, and often the cities that would benefit the most from it are the last to get it due to their rough reputations, witness Lowell, Lawrence, Lynn, and Brockton, if we're going by the Boston area example.
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Replying to @W4nk_3ngine @ded_ruckus
definitely true--those are also imo the best prospects for trying new development patterns (eg mimicking Tokyo) because of the abundant vacant land...too bad the reputation makes it impossible
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Replying to @380kmh @ded_ruckus
Imho they're the strongest arguments for building the North-South Rail Link, as the electrified service with RER-style frequencies that it would allow would turn them into the next Walthams and Arlingtons more or less overnight as their centers see Assembly-tier TOD development.
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Which would simultaneously open a safety valve on Boston/Cambridge/Somerville prices while driving billions in new real estate development.
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Too bad MA's political climate will never allow for a flip towards true JR-style privatized operation of the T. The revenue from TOD development in every city inside 495 would easily pay for a 4-track NSRL if we let the T adopt the Japanese rail+development model.
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Replying to @W4nk_3ngine @ded_ruckus
first and foremost we have to adopt the Japanese "pay for trains through fare revenue" model
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Replying to @380kmh @ded_ruckus
That seems to be the easiest way to make both the townies AND the bleeding hearts show up at the state house with torches and pitchforks.
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and that's why it must be done!
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