Hey there geographers and welcome back to the Mr. Sin channel. Today we're going to talk about infrastructure. Remember if you find value in these topic review videos consider subscribing.
Infrastructure refers to the physical and organizational structures and facilities that are needed for a society, system, or organization to function. Now in thinking about examples of infrastructure think about power plants, electrical grids, roads, public transportation, highways, educational institutions. Hospitals, bridges, cell phone towers, the internet, airports, railways, ports, or water and sewage systems. Having quality and easily accessible infrastructure is key to a successful society. And as we will see, has a significant impact on the economic growth and social development of an area.
Societies that continue to invest in their infrastructure and maintain it. often see increased economic development and a higher standard of living. Over time, as countries' infrastructure advances and becomes more developed, it starts to reshape the spatial patterns found in cities. For example, traditionally, we saw large retail stores in cities central business districts. However, today, many of those stores have closed and have moved out of high density areas in favor of more middle and low density areas.
This trend started once the interstate system was created, connecting cities around the United States. The interstate system made it easier and quicker for people to travel between different cities. This led to urban sprawl as more people could now move out of high density areas and move to middle and middle- and low density areas. Today we can see people who live outside the urban core can commute into the city for work or for commerce.
All of which is thanks to robust road systems that allow for quick travel in and out of the city. Now as people moved away from CBDs, businesses followed suit, opting to follow their customers and purchase cheaper land that is located farther away from the central business district. Today we can see smaller stores located throughout the suburbs, boom burbs and edge cities, which would not have been possible without the complex interstate and road system that cities have today. This is just one example in how a city's infrastructure is directly affecting the spatial patterns of economic and social development.
We are also starting to see changes in where people live thanks to the diffusion of the internet. As cities work to connect more homes to high speed internet, more people gain the ability to work, shop and game from home. The internet allows people to access different goods and services around the world.
And when a city invests in its infrastructure such as fiber optic, it can lead to more economic development and more opportunities for residents. Faster internet speeds not only allow individuals to connect with others and work from home, but they also allow for people to access information quicker and more efficiently. Which is great if let's say you're trying to learn ap human geography online and are looking to binge watch a bunch of videos on YouTube or review all of the course material in an ultimate review pack.
Investments in the internet's infrastructure can also help serve residents in underserved areas. For example, increased connectivity can help provide telehealth services to residents in rural areas or areas that traditionally lack medical facilities. As more people get connected online, we start to see new businesses form, new ideas be shared, and more people get access to different goods and services.
So we can see that advancements in roadways and the internet allow for people to live farther away from urban areas and expand the suburbs, all of which results in farmland and green space. is being replaced by concrete and an expanding urban footprint. These changes in the spatial layout of cities and suburban areas often lead to people to have a higher reliance on automobiles, which results in more air pollution and traffic since people are now more spread out and will spend more time driving between different places. This is often not the case with high density areas where people frequently use more public transportation to get around and live in close proximity to the different goods and services that they need, resulting in less travel time and less traffic.
less reliance on personal vehicles. Now, cities wish to expand public transportation services. outward from the urban core to the suburbs, it will increase the cost of operating the city, and increase the amount of urban sprawl. As cities grow and expand, not only do they see the cost of infrastructure increase, but over time society starts to run into new problems with their infrastructure.
The longer that infrastructure is exposed to the elements and the more it is used, it needs to eventually be repaired or replaced. This further increases a city's operating cost, as now they not only have to build new infrastructure, but they also have to only need to keep up with the maintenance costs, but also the cost of an expanding city. If cities do not invest in new infrastructure or keep up with maintaining old infrastructure, we will start to see the efficiency of a society decrease.
And if old infrastructure is not adequately maintained, we may see it fail, which can have disastrous consequences. When infrastructure fails, it can not only lead to a major disruption in a variety of different aspects in life, but it can also sometimes lead to people People getting seriously hurt or even dying. Unfortunately, we saw this in my home state in 2007 when the I-35W bridge collapsed during rush hour traffic.
which ended up injuring 145 people and taking the lives of 13 people. Today, cities and states must figure out what infrastructure projects should be prioritized, how they should be completed, how those projects will impact local environments and communities, and who is going to pay for the project. This can lead to political and economic debates, not only between residents, but different levels of government as well. As cities, counties, states, and national governments all try to influence the answers to these questions.
Now besides maintaining and upgrading older infrastructure, cities also need to continue to invest in new infrastructure to accommodate changing populations and changing cities. Roads may need to be reconfigured to accommodate new cars that are driving on them. And public transportation will have to expand in order to connect high density areas to other parts of the city to help alleviate traffic concerns on the road.
Plus, we also have to factor in new advancements in technology such as electric vehicles, which are starting to transform infrastructure across the country. Cities today are expanding their projects to include more investments in charging stations and smart green technology. Investment in this infrastructure allows electric cars to be a more viable option for residents, as now they can drive farther distances with without having to worry about running out of a charge, which can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and encourage new economic development in different regions.
So we can see that as populations continue to grow and change, cities will have to expand their public services such as healthcare, education, police coverage, fire coverage, trash pickup, water and sewer, and electric, just to name a few, all of which will be important for a city to maintain. in order to make sure that all residents have access to a high standard of living. If cities fail to grow their infrastructure, they risk having deteriorating road systems, traffic problems, overcrowded schools and hospitals, a police and fire force that are stretched too thin, an electric grid that might fail, contaminated water, and informal settlements that lack opportunities for residents. But cities that continue to grow and maintain their infrastructure will have to face a lot of challenges. will be able to offer more goods and services for their citizens and increase the amount of economic and social opportunities for all people.
So we can see that infrastructure is important. And the question now is which infrastructures do you think should be prioritized? Let me know in the comment section down below. And while you're down there don't forget to check your answers to the review questions and subscribe.
And if you need more help with AP Human Geography don't forget to check out my Ultimate Review Packet. As always, I'm Mr. Cinn, thank you so much for watching and I will see you next time online.