S

US Port Cities:Historical Patterns and Trends in Infrastructural Economic Development

Nicole Forsyth, RP 651 History & Theory of Planning

Questions for Thought

What defines a port city, and how do they differ from inland cities? (Geographically, spatially, economically)

How does the history of a port city influence planning decisions of the ports in the future? Learning to complement and promote the historical significance

How have port cities shifted economically and spatially over the past few centuries, and what are the drivers of change? Think about original development of these cities, and why did they develop where they did?

Overview

Historical Context and Development of US Port Cities Colonial port cities 19th century port city development and decentralization Ports & Harbors: WWI to present

Drivers in Change; Working Waterfronts of Today Demographic & Economic Environmental Technological

Working Waterfront Trends Case Studies: Boston, MA and Charleston, SC

Atlantic Port Cities/Towns in the Colonial Era

Primary: Philadelphia, Boston, Charleston, New York, Baltimore

Secondary: Newport, Providence, Salem, New Haven, Norwich,

New London, Norfolk There were a number of smaller towns that served

as small commerce and local fishing ports like Savannah, GA and Richmond, VA before the south was settled more.

http://www.answers.com/topic/american-revolutionary-war

Patterns of Development in Colonial Ports

Location of port settlements Rivers and Coasts for easy access/transportation

Economy of port settlements Cities grew around these ports Heavily maritime, fishing, shipbuilding Immigration promotes diversity North vs. South

Urbanized north, agrarian south

http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch4en/conc4en/portsites.html

Most early settlements were located on the coast or rivers

http://www.daltondatabank.org/Chronicles/First_Daltons_In_America.htm

http://www.landofthebrave.info/plantation-farming.htm

19th Century Port Development and Decentralization

Constant boom in industry (for a while) Shipbuilding, fishing and whaling industrial boom

Technological Advances More advanced technology paved the way for faster,

mechanized, and more efficient industry production Steam, rail

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/history/stories/groundfish/grndfsh1.html

http://earlyrailwaysunpublished.wordpress.com/

Ports & Harbors: WWI-Present

Advances/Changes Local, Regional and National

WWI Shift in the focus of waterfront activities to support war

efforts The Great Depression

Impacted the shape of working water fronts WWII and after

Drivers in Change;Working Waterfronts of

Today Though the economy drove, and continues to drive, many

changes along the waterfront, coastal activities were also heavily impacted by changing environmental conditions and corresponding regulations. Fishing communities Protection of natural resources/environmental initiatives Technological advances

Transportation displaces by other forms of transport Fishery technology Containerization of cargo

Drivers of Change; Demographic & Economic

Population Measured by the census as “coastline counties” that border

oceans, seas, bays, and estuaries. Each area is designed for and appropriate for different types of policy and management analysis related to water quality, economic impact, sea rise and coastal storm vulnerability.

Cost of coastal property More valued and desired waterfronts

Cost of infrastructure maintenance and dredging Existing infrastructure & channel depth management

Driver of Change; Environmental

Climate Change Fishing Regulations Environmental Regulations

Clean Water Act Coastal Zone Management Act National Environmental Policy Act Resource Conservation and Recovery Act & Comprehensive

Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980

Drivers of Change; Technological

Offshore Renewable Energy: wind, wave, tidal power The offshore renewable energy industry’s need for

waterfront land for deployment and ongoing maintenance represents a significant new opportunity for working waterfronts.

The Panama Canal One of the most influential changes to shipping

patterns in the US

Working Waterfront Trends

Three types of futures for a working waterfront A working waterfront will continue current activities at

a similar scale A working waterfront will redevelop or expand to meet

new changing needs and conditions Available water-dependent use options will no longer be

viable, and a working waterfront will succumb, in whole or in part, to demands for waterfront property by competing no-water-dependent residential and/or commercial use

Working Waterfront Trends

Port Expansion US population expected to grow over 100 million in the next

30 years Need to accommodate post-panamax (supertanker) vessels

Recreational Boating Economic climate Demographics

Commercial Fishing Some thriving, some deteriorating

Boston, MA

Commercial Two major import/export terminals Boston Fish Pier Boston Autoport Many of the old commercial piers are now maintained privately or by DCR

Recreational Harbor Island tours, whale watches, cruise terminals

Waterfront Development East Boston Municipal Harbor Plan

Redefines the waterfront for community and engagement, mixed use development

Shifted away from an industrial port to more of a recreation and development destination

Boston, MA

http://www.bostonharborcharters.org/boston.html

Charleston, SC

Strategic Vision Infrastructure Development

$2 Billion in vested in port related development New container terminals Deepening of Harbor Dual-served intermodal rail facility

Cargo Growth $5.6 Billion port-dependent industrial development to meet the needs of growing

large scale clientele Productivity/Efficiency

Most productive container port in North America Financial Stability

For over 30 years, Charleston has been operating independent of tax payers dollars

Remains very much a port which focuses on industry over recreational development

Charleston, SC

http://www.riverwindkayak.com/multi-day/blast-summary-page/blast-charleston-sc/attachment/charleston-harbor-1

Conclusion

Since their initial settlement and development, activities at ports and harbors have been affected by a variety of events, technological advance, and environmental conditions.

Patterns of development and decentralization Drivers of change:Though the economy drove, and

continues to drive, many changes along the waterfront, coastal activities were also heavily impacted by changing environmental conditions and corresponding regulations.

Working Waterfront Trends; Port Expansion or Recreational Development? Boston vs Charleston

Sources"Atlantic Coast U.S. Seaports | Bureau of Transportation Statistics." Atlantic Coast U.S. Seaports | Bureau of Transportation Statistics. United States Department of Transportation, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. <http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/bts_fact_sheets/october_2010/html/entire.html>.

"Boston Redevelopment Authority." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Oct. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Redevelopment_Authority>.

"Maritime History." Maritime History of Massachusetts. National Park Service, n.d. Web. <http://www.nps.gov/NR/travel/maritime/text.htm>.

"Massport - Port of Boston." Massport - Port of Boston. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. <http://www.massport.com/port-of-boston/>.

"Port of Boston." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Oct. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Boston>.

"Port Terminals." The Geography of Transportation Systems. Hofstra University, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. <http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch4en/conc4en/ch4c3en.html>.

Rodrigue, Jean-Paul. "Port Regionalization: Towards a New Phase in Port Development." Institute of Transport & Maritime Management (n.d.): n. pag. Hofstra University. Web. <http://people.hofstra.edu/jean-paul_rodrigue/downloads/Notteboom-Rodrigue-MPM-final.pdf>.

Wiggins, Jack, Dr. History and Trends of Working Waterfronts. Boston: Urban Harbors Institute, Dec. 2012. PDF.