CDS Community Development Strategies
There are historical reasons cities are located where they are and sometimes the original location factors no longer exist or at least are not relevant. When highways replaced railroads as the primary means of access some small cities became less of a destination and more of a self-contained community. Typically, new highways intentionally bypass commercial areas to avoid stop lights and congestion. Over time key industries/employers can dry up or even shut down and the demand for historically mainstay agricultural crops may diminish. Replacing these employers or products can be slow if not impossible.