Technology and Cities

This article explores the ways in which communications technologies influence the shape and form of cities and large metropolitan regions. After reviewing the scholarly literature, the author suggests that there is a need to consider the ways in which telecommunications can lead to both the centralization and decentralization of economic activity. The article analyzes the limits and opportunities for telecommuting as well as the emerging pattern of Internet development in the United States. Although local governments have traditionally taken a passive role with regard to telecommunications systems, there is a growing awareness that telecommunications can affect local economic development. Furthermore, the widespread deployment of antennas for cellular telephones is stimulating public involvement in land use regulations. Finally, the article considers the impact of new telecommunications on inner-city communities and the delivery of public services in cities. Technological advances have shaped and continue to shape the economic and physical development of cities in the United States. During the 19th century, industrialization gave rise to manufacturing plants and factory towns, while the steam engine led to the growth of seaport cities and a system of railroads that linked cities and towns across North America. During the 20th century, advances in transportation technology—notably the internal combustion engine and the jet airplane—contributed to the dispersion of the Nation’s population to suburban areas and to urban growth in southern and western States. Federal policies that financed the construction of airports and the development of an interstate highway system have reinforced these technological trends as well. And, of course, air-conditioning has contributed to the growth of year-round populations in what were once seasonal communities. Today, new and emerging telecommunications technologies are transforming the economic role of cities and their pattern of physical development. Many cities have lost their roles as corporate headquarters and manufacturing centers, while others have attracted information-intensive activities, such as back offices, customer service centers, and research and development laboratories. Furthermore, rapid advances in information technology pose a major challenge to city-based financial, healthcare, and educational institutions and to cities’ roles as centers for commerce and culture.