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Bound to happen. Either that or a Charlotte vs Raleigh war. Good thing for the ignore function.
Anyway, The only questionable city on my list was Gastonia. I see Jacksonville listed on other's lists. Can someone enlighten me more on Jacksonville. Other than it being home to Camp Lejuene I don't know much about its importance.
I wouldn't include Jacksonville, New Bern, Hickory or Gastonia on any of the lists.
I'm not following your logic. How does either city's downtown being "better" than the other make it any more important or relevant to the state? And neither's has propelled its respective growth as fast or faster than #1, #3 or #4.
Obviously, cities are more than just their downtowns. Greensboro overall has fared better economically in recent years than W-S, but its downtown has lagged behind. I haven't been to W-S as much, but the times I have it felt like it has seen more recent activity across more of its downtown than Greensboro has.
Lifestyles are changing, and more people are preferring an urban lifestyle. Most cities look and feel the same outside of a handful of areas such as downtown. Greensboro has made strides downtown, but much of that has been concentrated along Elm St, which is a cool street, but downtown W-S feels like it has more depth overall.
Edit - GSO has also had the huge advantage of being much better-connected to Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham than W-S, and it's been that way for decades. It's hard to foresee W-S jumping GSO in stature based on that fact alone.
Last edited by nicholas_n; 03-25-2024 at 03:04 PM..
Obviously, cities are more than just their downtowns. Greensboro overall has fared better economically in recent years than W-S, but its downtown has lagged behind. I haven't been to W-S as much, but the times I have it felt like it has seen more recent activity across more of its downtown than Greensboro has.
Lifestyles are changing, and more people are preferring an urban lifestyle. Most cities look and feel the same outside of a handful of areas such as downtown. Greensboro has made strides downtown, but much of that has been concentrated along Elm St, which is a cool street, but downtown W-S feels like it has more depth overall.
Edit - GSO has also had the huge advantage of being much better-connected to Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham than W-S, and it's been that way for decades. It's hard to foresee W-S jumping GSO in stature based on that fact alone.
Better connected to the Triangle sure, but certainly not Charlotte. Winston has the advantage of accessing Charlotte via 2 main routes (40/77 or 52/85). Winston feels much closer to Charlotte than GSO.
Better connected to the Triangle sure, but certainly not Charlotte. Winston has the advantage of accessing Charlotte via 2 main routes (40/77 or 52/85). Winston feels much closer to Charlotte than GSO.
It's slightly closer from CLT to W-S than to GSO (about 80 miles vs 92) but irl it feels about the same. Would definitely not recommend 40/77 due to constant congestion on I-77. W-S doesn't have Amtrak service yet which puts GSO as better connected to the other metros.
Better connected to the Triangle sure, but certainly not Charlotte. Winston has the advantage of accessing Charlotte via 2 main routes (40/77 or 52/85). Winston feels much closer to Charlotte than GSO.
Winston-Salem is 15 miles closer(driving) to Charlotte than Greensboro is. Does this make Winston-Salem better "connected" to Charlotte than Greensboro? I don't think so.
Winston-Salem is 15 miles closer(driving) to Charlotte than Greensboro is. Does this make Winston-Salem better "connected" to Charlotte than Greensboro? I don't think so.
Yes, the stronger connection is quite noticeable in comparison to GSO. You can be in Mecklenburg County in roughly 50-55 minutes from Winston’s core. 30 minutes and you are in statesville pushing into Mooresville, and the development from Charlottes realm is continuous at that point. So yes-it does feel more connected than Greensboro does to Charlotte.
It's slightly closer from CLT to W-S than to GSO (about 80 miles vs 92) but irl it feels about the same. Would definitely not recommend 40/77 due to constant congestion on I-77. W-S doesn't have Amtrak service yet which puts GSO as better connected to the other metros.
Right-it’s closer with more direct connections, so saying Greensboro is “much better” connected would be incorrect and objectively false. You may run into congestion on 77, example of how close the two metros are, and how quickly you enter suburbs/cities with Charlotte ties. Davie county is really the dividing line of when you feel transition between the two areas.
Last edited by carolinablue; 03-25-2024 at 09:57 PM..
Yes, the stronger connection is quite noticeable in comparison to GSO. You can be in Mecklenburg County in roughly 50-55 minutes from Winston’s core. 30 minutes and you are in statesville pushing into Mooresville, and the development from Charlottes realm is continuous at that point. So yes-it does feel more connected than Greensboro does to Charlotte.
"Winston" may be physically closer to Charlotte than Greensboro is, in terms of distance (but not much) but that has nothing to do with "a stronger connection" versus Greensboro. As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I think that WF-Baptist- Bowman Gray- WF Medical School - "Fill In The Blank" because there are numerous names to this institution - made a Huge Mistake in giving away the farm in negotiations with Atrium. I know that UNC turned Atrium down, and I believe that one or two others did as well.
Right-it’s closer with more direct connections, so saying Greensboro is “much better” connected would be incorrect and objectively false. You may run into congestion on 77, example of how close the two metros are, and how quickly you enter suburbs/cities with Charlotte ties. Davie county is really the dividing line of when you feel transition between the two areas.
Having more "direct" connections, and being marginally closer to another city, does not automatically mean it's better connected. Greensboro has always been better connected to Charlotte and Raleigh (and pretty much everywhere else) due to its location, I think you know that and choose to not accept that. There's a reason why CLT-GSO doesn't have two interstates connecting the cities, and it's because the one that already exists was literally built to go straight from CLT to GSO. Plus the Piedmont which was built to run from CLT through GSO (and has seen record ridership in the last few years). You can't really replace direct connections that have existing for the better part of a century, with new ones that largely piggyback off of existing ones.
I think that, coupled with the decline of tobacco, is why Greensboro was able to overtake Winston-Salem back in the '70s. Is W-S better connected now to Charlotte than it used to be? Yes, but the connections are nowhere near as deep as the ones to Greensboro.
Having more "direct" connections, and being marginally closer to another city, does not automatically mean it's better connected. Greensboro has always been better connected to Charlotte and Raleigh (and pretty much everywhere else) due to its location, I think you know that and choose to not accept that. There's a reason why CLT-GSO doesn't have two interstates connecting the cities, and it's because the one that already exists was literally built to go straight from CLT to GSO. Plus the Piedmont which was built to run from CLT through GSO (and has seen record ridership in the last few years). You can't really replace direct connections that have existing for the better part of a century, with new ones that largely piggyback off of existing ones.
I think that, coupled with the decline of tobacco, is why Greensboro was able to overtake Winston-Salem back in the '70s. Is W-S better connected now to Charlotte than it used to be? Yes, but the connections are nowhere near as deep as the ones to Greensboro.
I am aware of the Amtrak line, and it is a shame that WS doesn't have a connecting segment. I understand you think I am choosing to not accept your opinion. I am not arguing that Greensboro isn't connected to Charlotte in any way, but it is not "much-better" connected to Charlotte than Winston-Salem, regardless of history or what "piggy-backing" has occurred since then. We are going to have to agree to disagree on that point and leave it at that.
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