tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5986480257997694339.post2165841730891769301..comments2009-06-03T21:19:53.101-04:00Comments on Rust Belt Road Trip: What is ‘city’? A call to RESPOND!Rustbelt Roadtriphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05421609086224474311noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5986480257997694339.post-88782628367011940972009-05-20T21:01:15.862-04:002009-05-20T21:01:15.862-04:00Your questions are all well reasoned and articulat...Your questions are all well reasoned and articulated. The surface definitions seem not to be adaquate for a city such as Detroit that has been eviscerated by the myriad things you cited.<br /><br />Nevertheless, Detroit's situation begs some questions as to its origin, and I bet there might be some surprising insights to be had through an investigation of its maps as compared to the development of the automobile. As you indicate, Detroit is virtually devoid of any tranit infrastructure, which also lends to this sense of rural. I do not know Detroit's history but I suspect that its early development was tied closely to the water, while its spread was tied to its economic bread-and-butter, the car. <br /><br />Perhaps this is all self-evident. It seems eerily coincidental that the "ring-roads"(six-, seven-, and, yes, Eminem's eight-mile roads) radiate outward from the epicenter, like the rings of a blast zone (I heard that roads like these were created by the Eisenhower administration as ways of dispersing infrastructure just in case of nuclear attack. Does anyone know if this is true?). What's interesting about this is a homogeneity of almost-urban conditions that you cite in your post. The center is no longer the "center," except in a historical sense, and instead there is a decentralized network of strip malls and gas stations.<br /><br />Anyway, I know I have avoided answering your question, buit the specifics of Detroit, in terms of resident mobiltiy and infrastructure, make it an interesting case study. <br /><br />Pardon my rambling and keep up the good work!simon kristakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07258720497904066329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5986480257997694339.post-70700275918995303842009-05-20T11:20:46.581-04:002009-05-20T11:20:46.581-04:00Hey there, sounds like you're having an exciting t...Hey there, sounds like you're having an exciting trip. I'm not sure I have an answer for your question, but reading your blog has definitely given me some things to think about as well. <br /><br />(okay, and so I also wrote about your trip in the blog I write in at work) http://ashp.cuny.edu/nowandthen/?p=652<br /><br />Hope the trip continues to go well, look forward to reading about the next city!Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03540814263508986193noreply@blogger.com