The public health and economic crises caused by the coronavirus are threatening to further entrench inequality in America—between regions and within cities.

According to Clara Hendrickson and Mark Muro, "the pandemic might intensify the unevenness of America’s divergent economy, with disturbing implications."
Because the coronavirus first spread through affluent urban centers—San Francisco, Seattle, and New York City—some have wondered whether the pandemic would bring about a more geographically balanced economy by inspiring white collar workers will move in droves to less expensive parts of the country that could badly use the economic boost. "Don't bet on it," write Hendrickson and Muro. "Despite the increasing adoption of digital technology in American workplaces, economic activity has become more—not less—concentrated," according to the duo. As for why:
...while the density of large cities may be a disadvantage in fighting the spread of the coronavirus, it likely will remain an advantage in a 21st century knowledge economy, where the biggest places with the richest exchanges of ideas among highly educated workers have enjoyed the greatest economic returns.
The article also examines the pandemic's unequal consequences within cities (i.e., not just the inequality between cities and regions)—as neighborhoods in some of these cities, filled by blue collar workers keeping the economy afloat while bearing the brunt of the public health consequences of the pandemic.
FULL STORY: Will COVID-19 rebalance America’s uneven economic geography? Don’t bet on it.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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