Hypothetical New States

[triplemultiplex]

I find it interesting that a lot the places that have grumbled about forming their own state; The UP, western Illinois, way northern California, etc.; are all places where there are hardly any people.  It's almost an inevitable side effect of proportional representation that people from rural areas will feel ignored by their state government.  Fewer people scattered over a much larger area makes it tougher (and more costly) to do the same kind of civic stuff as we do in the cities.
I've seen that in my own life, growing up in a northern Wisconsin map dot and now living in the MKE.  People are often resentful of their own state's population centers.  I'm sure people in other states experience that phenomenon where the name of their capital city is used as a slur.  I grew up with the milieu that we were better than those dumb ol' cities down south with their traffic and crime and arts and diversity and noise and traffic.  Having lived in both, I now see the advantages and disadvantages of both places.

Ironically, giving these sparsely populated places their own states would create the opposite problem where a relatively tiny population suddenly has a LOT of power.  Doesn't really seem fair to go out of the way to give 300K people the same influence as 8 million.  I mean obviously we have big states and small states through quirks of history and geography, but to carve out new states for disgruntled country folk in the 21st Century can't be seriously considered.  It's just a fun way to generate some attention for the concerns of a region.

[Alps]

There's also weirdness around the Mississippi River, since the borders are set as the Mississippi ran when the states were formed, yet the river has changed course since.

I think the international law rules on river boundaries would likely apply here:  a river's gradually changing course through "accretion" (erosion of one bank, building up land on the other) shifts a river-based boundary, but "avulsion" (sudden change in course) doesn't.  The Mississippi has lots of "avulsive" changes as the river cut a new channel to shortcut a river bend, which means the border stayed where it was.  I don't know if there are places where the border has moved slightly through "accretion".

Delaware/NJ border has not moved despite accretion. I think it comes down to how the state boundary was legally defined when it was established, but I don't view any of those cases as disputes.

[mgk920]

There's also weirdness around the Mississippi River, since the borders are set as the Mississippi ran when the states were formed, yet the river has changed course since.

I think the international law rules on river boundaries would likely apply here:  a river's gradually changing course through "accretion" (erosion of one bank, building up land on the other) shifts a river-based boundary, but "avulsion" (sudden change in course) doesn't.  The Mississippi has lots of "avulsive" changes as the river cut a new channel to shortcut a river bend, which means the border stayed where it was.  I don't know if there are places where the border has moved slightly through "accretion".

Delaware/NJ border has not moved despite accretion. I think it comes down to how the state boundary was legally defined when it was established, but I don't view any of those cases as disputes.

Isn't there some industrial property on the northeast shore of the Delaware River that is in fact in Delaware (especially near the I-295 bridges)?

Mike

[bulkyorled]

Not that its recognized by anyone but there is that "State of Jefferson" that consists of the top of CA and lower bits of OR. I doubt anyone but the people that live within that "state" would want a new state to be cut out of 2 states that already exist...
You could probably make over 100 states out of what we have. Another being NYC being its own state (all the boroughs) and upstate being seperated

[vdeane]

Long Island has also proposed separating, which would split NYC, as they want to take Brooklyn and Queens with them!

[ftballfan]

The UP has its own tournaments in cross country, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, and track and field.

[Alps]

Long Island has also proposed separating, which would split NYC, as they want to take Brooklyn and Queens with them!

http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/ny/new.html

[agentsteel53]

http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/ny/new.html

Just for a larf, odd numbers go E-W, evens go N-S

I disagree with this, because it violates a pretty well-established protocol (interstates, US routes, and a lot of state highways) without a valid reason.  I think it would just add to driver confusion.

[Alps]

http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/ny/new.html

Just for a larf, odd numbers go E-W, evens go N-S

I disagree with this, because it violates a pretty well-established protocol (interstates, US routes, and a lot of state highways) without a valid reason.  I think it would just add to driver confusion.

First of all, this is a rebellious state, so they're doing things their own way. Second of all, they don't even have a US route, and their Interstate system is all fecocked. Third of all... I feel like it. (And by the way, NY's early state route system seems to have mostly followed odd EW even NS.)

[vdeane]

Monroe county does as well, though as they don't post country route numbers, nobody notices.