Megalopolis

The Megalopolis that has formed on the upper East Coast in the US is a full, bustling center of economic opportunities, overpopulation, and has the ability to trade with countries across the world easily. Sacramento, is nowhere near being (or ever becoming) part of a Megalopolis. Here are some of the reasons why Sacramento could never become one.

Map of Northern California
(Source: http://www.californiabrazil.com/images/map-of-northern-california.gif)

The main reason behind binding the cities together that are now known as the Megaopolis is due to the access that each city had to different trade routes to both Europe and the Caribbean. Even though Sacramento has two large rivers that flow through its city (which both eventually come together), and the one larger Sacramento River they form flows out to the ocean, the boats that are permitted to go through these areas are simply not large enough to be able to transport items across the Pacific Ocean to countries such as China or Japan, while still making a profit. These trade routes are better suited for other cities, such as Los Angeles, which has the largest port system in the entire country. Also, due to the large mountains and valleys that sit on the West coast, California lacks the same amount of quality harbors that the East coast has, making it much harder to dock and transport goods to and from boats.

The next issue stems from the lack of large metropolitan cities around Sacramento. When viewing the area's between city-to-city, California and Oregon lack the ability to match the same amount of cities that their East coast counterparts have. The closest city to Sacramento is San Francisco, which is about 76 miles away. From there, smaller cities are sprinked in between San Francisco and San Jose, which is about 50 miles away (but is not on the coastline). From there, the next major city is Los Angeles, which is 339 miles away (making it too far to be part of the Megalopolis cluster without having cities in between.)

Residents of Sacramento playing in a Christmas orchestra
(Source: http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2010/12/11/17/SANTAPARADE_GALLERY.27..standalone.prod_affiliate.4.JPG)

The third reason Sacramento could not be part of a Megaopolis is due to its small population. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Sacramento's estimated population in 2006 was 453,781. Though this is a large number, it does not compare to the larger cities which make up the Megalopolis. The smallest central city within the Megalopolis is Washington D.C, with a population of 572,059 in 2000. However, the city does have space for rapid expansion surrounding it if the population grew to a larger size, thanks to the rural agricultural areas which surround Sacramento.

Sacramento Lightrail System
(Source: http://www.eastsiderailnow.org/sacramento_1b.jpg)

However, even the idea of rapid expansion through a population shift is not feasible without be able to expand the cities' transportation options. As of now, the only transportation options that are available to people living in Sacramento are walking/biking, driving, and public bus and limited light-rail transportation. In order to support a larger population, the city of Sacramento would have to implement more light-rail systems, or a subway system underground in order to ease traffic and other issues.

In conclusion, even though Sacramento could not become part of a large Megalopolis, it does not mean that the city does not already serve an important purpose already. Its function as our state's capital is more than enough reason to keep Sacramento the way it is today.