Arizona’s Sun Corridor: What is Happening on the Ground? Robert Lang, Ph.D. Professor of Sociology Research Director, Brookings Mountain West Interim Director, Lincy Institute University of Nevada, Las Vegas Houston, TX – September 24, 2009

Some of the data in this talk is from the 2008 Mountain Mega report from the Brookings Institution The next round of this research starts summer 2009 Mountain Megas Report Mountain Mega report from the Brookings Institution released in 2008 The next round of this research starts in Spring 2010

Arizona Sun Corridor Report COPP/MORRISON Report From the Morrison Institute at Arizona State University also released in 2008

Sun Corridor: Where is the Action? Economic Development  Sun Corridor—Open for Business  U of A/ASU Cooperation Transportation  Federal Railroad Administration— Phoenix/Tucson Sun Corridor Rail  Interstate 11 Connection with Las Vegas  High-Speed Rail to Southern California Environment  Water Management

The 2008 Brookings Report Identified 5 Megapolitans in the Intermountain West

Lang and Nelson, 2010 Book

Texas and Southwest Megaregions

Population Change, Southwest Megaregion Population, (Thousands) GrowthPercent Megapolitan Area '70-'40Change So Cal11,97620,23722,63526,38630,27318,297153% Las Vegas3231,6742,4073,4164,4424, % Sun Corridor1,4474,2975,6997,4479,2337,786538% Total13,74626,20830,74137,24943,94830,202220% Source: Woods & Poole, 2009

The New Urban Hierarchy

Metros to Megas in Distance Miami - West Palm Beach (65m) Orlando - Tampa (80m) Phoenix - Tucson (110m) Florida Atlantic 65 MilesFlorida Corridor 80 MilesSun Corridor 110 Miles

20 th Century Metropolitan Form

21 st Century Megapolitan Form

Sun Corridor Urban Realms Highlands West Valley Central Valley Upper East Valley East Valley Mid Corridor Foothills Rincon Gateway SouthCo Urban Realms of the Sun Corridor SUNCORRIDORSUNCORRIDOR

Phoenix-Tucson Cooperation “Arizona Sun Corridor: Open for Business” is an unprecedented partnership between the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) and Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, Inc. (TREO) that is designed to bring high-wage jobs and investment to the Sun Corridor.

UA/ASU Medical School

Sun Corridor Solar Initiatives

Linking the Southwest Megaregion

Official 2009 HSR Map

European High Speed Rail

Megapolitan vs. Megaregion Rail Megapolitans are mostly continuous urban corridors and are best served by “Regional High- Speed Rail” Megaregions are proximate but discrete urban complexes that need “Express High-Speed Rail” to bridge the gaps between multiple megapolitan areas

Megapolitan vs. Megaregion Rail In Megapolitans—Trains mostly compete with autos and should make multiple stops at key centers along the route In Megaregions—Trains mostly compete with short-haul air service and should make very few stops in order to maintain maximum speed

California/Mountain West HSR Megapolitans  Front Range = Regional HSR  Sun Corridor = Regional HSR  Wasatch Front = Regional HSR Megaregions  So Cal to Las Vegas = Express HSR  So Cal to Nor Cal = Express HSR  So Cal to Sun Corridor = Express HSR

Look for… A New Book out Summer 2010 Megapolitans and Megaregions: The Emergence of Large-Scale American Urban Systems By Robert E. Lang, Arthur C. Nelson, and Casey Dawkins From American Planning Association Lincoln Institute of Land Policy