What are the Critical Factors Affecting the 495/MetroWest Corridor Region?
As the 495/MetroWest Corridor has grown into a regional economic engine of greater Boston it has come face to face with the primary challenge associated with growth: how to continue to promote economic development while sustaining natural resources and maintaining the characteristics that make this an attractive region both to live and work. This challenge is relatively new. Quality of life was once viewed as the ultimate economic objective even if economic growth compromised quality of life. In today’s economy quality of life is not just an outcome of growth but a critical element in the global competition for knowledge workers and knowledge based industries.
The challenge of promoting economic development while maintaining a high quality of life is embodied in specific critical factors. The Partnership’s work focuses on six; they include:
These issues are often dealt with separately, which is unfortunate because they are inexorably linked. Each is equally important in ensuring that this region remains successful and prosperous. The best solutions to these issues will be those that understand that they are interconnected and as important not at odds with each other.
Another layer of complexity to this issue is that none of these problems can truly be addressed successfully at the local level – all of these critical factors are regional in nature. Make no mistake, municipalities can have a significant impact in addressing these issues within their boundaries; the problem is that local economies, natural resources, traffic congestion, housing dynamics, and workers cross municipal boundaries.
These critical factors are being engaged by a variety of leaders from the public and private sectors and through various grassroots efforts led by ordinary citizens. Solutions to these challenges require creative, integrated, and collaborative approaches to problem solving that cross political boundaries. The Partnership views itself as the collaborative regional forum where conversation and action can take place on these critical factors.
To learn more about the critical factors affecting the region click on the links on menu at the top of this page.
Click here to learn more about how the Partnership is addressing these critical factors.
