Megaregions are a group of geographic locations and/or areas that are combined because of similar characteristics and mutual interest.Since our roadway system crosses many jurisdictional boundaries, transportation is inherently Megaregional. Things like air pollution, freight movements, and road safety don't stop at political boundaries but planning often does. Therefore, planning at the Megaregional scale provides an approach to address new emerging challenges, and take advantages of the opportunities that arise around large metropolitan centers and their surrounding areas, connected by existing environmental, economic, cultural, and infrastructure relationships.
Megaregions present a new perspective that captures the economic, political and spatial level at which planning can be conducted in order to respond to the challenges of agglomerations of economic activity and population. It also recognizes the new context in which large-scale regions exist-one of global economic and environmental issues taking place on a larger scale.
Megaregions offer flexible frameworks to harmonize transportation with quality of life, economic opportunity, and environmental sustainability. Megaregions are the infrastructure and economic footprint in the global economy. Megaregions provide a sustainable future through multi-scalar, cross-boundary solutions. Megaregions allow us to think globally, coordinate regionally and act locally. (Ross, 2009)