Problem: This study identifies some issues in the definitions of US megaregions which have strongly emphasized functional relationships without considering morphological characteristics. An extensive review of the literature revealed that the morphological approach and accompanying spatial statistical analysis described in this paper have not been done before, and represent a potentially useful refinement of current practice. Research strategy: This study examines morphological characteristics of the 11 US megaregions to represent morphologically-oriented US megaregions. A primary research hypothesis is that the megaregions spatially defined by morphological characteristics may not be the same as the current representation of the 11 US megaregions. The research hypothesis is tested by two distinct analyses which spatially examine the morphological characteristics at global and local scales. The global scale spatial patterns were examined with a density-based sprawl index, spatial scattering index, and spatial clustering index. Local scale spatial patterns were examined with the Getis-Ord Gi* hot spots analysis and the Anselin Local Moran’s I cluster and outlier analysis. In order to represent the megaregion-scale urban built environment, the morphological characteristics of total population, population density, impervious land cover, and nighttime light emissions were examined. All 11 megaregions were subjected to detailed GIS-based analysis and mapping for each morphological characteristic, and the results was analyzed using mapping, tables and graphs. Findings: The analysis results showed that global scale spatial distributions of morphological characteristics were inconsistently concentrated and clustered in high density subareas of each US megaregion. The morphological clustering representation of the 11 US megaregions clearly showed that the morphologically identified US megaregions were not the same as the current US megaregions. Takeaway for practice: This study asks the urban and regional planning profession to realize the incompleteness of a functional perspective, add a complementing morphological viewpoint, and balance the perspective between functional relations and morphological characteristics in identifying US megaregions.

China’s mega-regions, in addition to cities and metropolitan areas, have become the engines for economic development, and the target areas for regional and national policies. Reflecting upon China’s current path of regional urbanization, the proposed research examines a fundamental issue for China’s megaregional development: the impact of transport network development on the spatial pattern of China’s megaregions. Using the multiple national Censuses (1982, 1990, 2000, 2010) and the transport network GIS data in the corresponding years, this research 1) constructs measures of megaregional spatial patterns, 2) assesses the spatial trajectory of megaregional growth based on the differentiated growth rates of metropolitan cities, 3) computes indicators of megaregional transport network connectivity and accessibility, 4) examines the impacts of transportation infrastructure on megaregional growth trajectory. This research helps understand the spatial structure of China’s megaregions with newly constructed quantitative measures of polycentric spatial development, as well as the intra-megaregion and inter-megaregion variation of transport network in China. It also clarifies the link between transport infrastructure and megaregional spatial structure in China’s unique context by providing quantitative evaluation of the implications of transport investment for the spatial pattern in Chinese megaregions. Finally it enriches the megaregional solutions to China’s vision of economic, social and environmental sustainability.

With the growing prominence of global city regions as drivers of today’s economy, there is a need to reposition large urban areas to be competitive in this context. The success of the European trans-national urban model has raised considerable interest in the United States to delineate a similar network of multi-city mega regional systems. It has been predicted that most of the growth in this country in the next 50 years will be concentrated in about 10 such emerging mega-regions. The Texas Triangle is one such mega-region. As much as 70% of the state’s population in 2050 is expected to be concentrated within this triangular mega region, defined by the MSAs of Dallas-Fortworth, Austin-San Marcos, San Antonio and Houston. This study attempts to identify the exact spatial extent of this region based on several parameters, but primarily focusing on a network of natural environmental systems within the proposed Triangle region. / text

As global economic competition has intensified, many countries have begun focusing on the competitiveness of larger regions of city networks called megaregions. Consisting of two or more cities with specific linkages and connections, megaregions are becoming a new unit that researchers are using to analyze the global economy. The world’s 40 largest megaregions produce two thirds of the global economic output and more than eighty percent of the world’s innovations (Florida et al., 2007). Therefore, understanding the economic characteristics of megaregions can help isolate various challenges and opportunities associated with building on inter-relationships that enhance competitiveness. The Texas Triangle is one of 10 major megaregions in the U.S., and it functions as the primary economic engine of the Texas economy. This study analyzes how the economic characteristics of the major metropolitan areas in the Texas Triangle have changed over time by studying the basic dynamics of these metropolitan areas over the last decade. Results from this study show that each metropolitan area contains specialized export industries and that competition among them seems to be encouraging the economic growth of Texas. The basic industrial structure of the Texas Triangle has not been affected significantly by economic changes over the last decade. Finally, this report presents policy implications related to strengthening traditional economic bases and promoting sustainable economic development such as clean energy in the Texas Triangle. / text

This thesis project aims to target the increasing number of people who live, work and transit through the densely populated metropolises that, fused together, create megaregions. These individuals, an already big and ever increasing number of people, are the so-called super-commuters, members of the workforce whose commutes surpass the figures of 90 minutes or, alternatively, 145 km in a single-way.As it happens with others who live in the same geographical region, they experience the need or wish of working in the dense urban centres that offer plenty of job opportunities, but little housing opportunities. This lack of housing paired with its very high and ever increasing prices forces these people to disperse and to search for living places farther away from their workplaces, thus trading convenience and free time for long commutes. Super-commuting is indeed showing a growing trend, not only in the number of super-commuters themselves but also in the duration of commutes.Commutes are getting lengthier for a number of reasons, such as increasingly comfortable vehicles, technological advancements that help render commuting time either productive or entertaining.However, in a post-pandemic society, many companies are also offering their employees the chance to adopt hybrid work modes with more days spent working from home - which makes workers consider living farther away from their workplaces as they need to commute less (number of times). It is an undeniable fact that the longer the commute, the less free time one worker has, either for resting or doing something productive. It is also true that in an increasingly fast-paced technological world, people have also increasing difficulties in separating their professional and personal lives. Therefore, the approach of this thesis project goes through offering people the chance to make the most out of their commutes, so as to free more of their time when not commuting or working - time to spend with their loved ones or to be used to do whatever they would like. To achieve that, this project contemplates the use of autonomous technologies expected to become more widespread within the automotive industry; as by rendering vehicles autonomous would free people from driving and let them allocate their time to other tasks. This thesis project offers a holistic proposal of a premium commuting service targeted to super-commuters living and working within the Northern California megaregion. This service would connect peripheral communities directly to the Bay Area, where most companies are located, through a door-to-hub service.It focuses on how users of this service might experience their commutes by presenting case studies of three different types of professionals with diverse needs, and exploring how they would use it as a means of making their commutes as convenient and efficient as possible. The process herein exposed goes through the various stages of design development, from research to ideation and leading to a final proposal, consisting of a service, mobile booking app and exterior + interior design of a vehicle.