Methodology to Establish the Borders and Structure of Metropolitan Areas

The paper is focused on CURS’ research experience developed in the DEMOS Project in order to identify and to describe profiles of the metropolitan areas in Romania. A metropolitan area is defined as an integrated unit in which the core city and the surrounding localities have direct, diverse and continuous interrelations as it is developing as a functional and systemic area. In the paper there are showed both some international significant experiences in the field (from USA, Canada, Europe – METREX) and from Romania. The proposal methodology we elaborated and pre-tested on Bucharest area is seen on a kind of standard methodology to be used as a framework in order to identify the metropolitan area borders and to describe the profile of this area. Thus the methodology should take into account four stages or steps. The first step is to survey the local authorities from the surrounding localities (as a survey frame or sample universe, including all localities within an established distance). The data for interrelation indicators such as population migration, community, space building under the influence of the core city, tourism potential etc. were collected from the local authorities. The second step is to analyze these data and to establish which localities should be included in the metropolitan area. An integration index was also built covering the values of the main indicators. The data were normalized to be compared and share ted so the final indexes or score showed the hierarchy of the integration of the surveyed localities. The most integrated localities are suggested to be incorporated in the metropolitan area. The third step is to assess the population support for the establishment of a metropolitan area. A representative survey at the level of the surrounding localities reported to be included in the metropolitan area is conducted. Here we are talking about the relations this population has with the core city, the perception of the advantages and disadvantages of the metropolitan area and their attitude, pros and cons the settling of a metropolitan area. The fourth step is about the establishment of an interdisciplinary team (with localities representatives, architects, economists, lawyers and sociologists) that will analyze the data and will design the new metropolitan area with borders, structure, objectives and own management.