1. Chapter 9 The Changing Economic Geography of the Restructured Metropolis
Spatial Evolution of the American Metropolis
Current Metropolitan Trends
The Causes of Activity Suburbanization
The Structure of Today’s Suburban Space-Economy
The Impact of Employment Deconcentration on Commuting Patterns
Summary

2. Spatial Evolution of the American Metropolis: Adams Model
Stage I: Pre Electric Trolley
Stage II: Electric Streetcars
Stage III: Automobile Era
Stage IV: High-speed
expressways to
distant suburbs
BUT
Not all cities have been
Through all these phases! S

3. Spatial Evolution of the American Metropolis: Erickson’s Model

4. Ullman & Harris Urban Land Use Model Alternatives
Similar
To Erickson’s
Third
Phase

5. Suburban Employment Trends Share of Total Employment

6. The Causes of Activity Suburbanization
Centrifugal forces: congestion, high land values, high taxes
Centripetal forces: abundant space, cheap land, lower taxes
Development of Interstate Highway Network
Deconcentration of manufacturing
Producers “voting with their feet” - Tiebout

7. Decentralization of Manufacturing Ratio of Mfg. Suburban % to Total

8. The Structure of Today’s Urban Space Economy
Site (place specific attributes) versus situation (position relative to the region)
Amenities as a factor in location
Convenience relative to residential location
Prestigious locations
“Edge cities” – Joel Garreau
Corporate Headquarters relocations into suburban space
Manhattan: from 138 of Fortune 500 in 1968
to 29 in 1993
- Suburbs with 47 of Fortune 500 in 1965 and a whopping 233 of the Fortune 500 HQ’s in 1994.
PSRC visions for Central Puget Sound

9. General Polycentric Urban Form Model
Similar to
PSRC
Vision 2020
And the
Update
Vision 2030

10. Impact of Employment Deconcentration on Commuting Patterns: Getis’ model & subsequent tests
Zone of
Indifference
Critical Isochrone
Figures 9.7 to 9.12:
Graduate increase in distance
To Critical Isochrone
And Maximum Commuting Distance
Critical Isochrone: from 2 miles to 20?
Max. commuting: from 6 to 30 miles?
Frequency
Commuting Distance 
Workplace

11. Journey to work data from Derik’s Thesis

12. Derik’s Thesis Data
? Zone of
Indifference?
? Critical Isochrone?

13. Issues in Summary Section
The reality of polycentric urban form
Access by all metropolitan residents to growing components: central city poor
Energy efficiency of sprawl – Growth Management in our region – but we’re rare
Challenges to planners to provide efficient polycentric spatial forms