1 oder 2 oder 3? Zur Konstituierung möglicher Metropolregionen an Rhein und Ruhr

Abstract

The article discusses an advancement of the planning concept of “Metropolitan Region Rhine Ruhr”, which has been established in the year 1995, but never realised in practice. Based on a measuring concept that quantifies the metropolitan functions, the potential separate Metropolitan Regions Cologne-Bonn and Düsseldorf as well as the constitution of a comprehensive Metropolitan Region Rhineland are put in a direct comparison to the big German Metropolitan Regions. In addition, inter- and intraregional linkage patterns of the metropolitan area are analysed by means of commuter relations. Based on these empirical results, promotive and aggravating factors for the formation of alternative Metropolitan Regions are finally identified and the demarcation variations are compared.

Keywords

• Metropolitan region
• Metropolitan area
• Metropolitan functions
• Urban system
• Commuting relations
• Cologne-Bonn