[Authentic_City]

Meh, I would not be so quick to compare Winnipeg and Fargo. North Dakota is oil country. Oil prices are way up now, so there's a shortage of people willing to work in the service industry, hence the help wanted signs. Same thing happens in Alberta when oil goes up. This, and differences in federal funding for highways helps a lot.

I was in Dallas a couple of weeks ago, and I can confirm the roads are nice and smooth, and the freeways are huge and efficient. Also, the downtown streets were clean and well maintained, but there was a noticeable absence of pedestrians. A few blocks away from Downtown, huge homeless encampments under highway overpasses. There was a decent looking light rail system, but based on the heavy police and security presence at transit stops and the rough looking crowds waiting for trains, I don't think public transit is used much by middle class folks in Dallas. Atlanta's downtown is generally clean, but step outside the hotel zone and it gets rough fast. Also, there are city bylaws criminalizing cruising downtown and begging for money, so that's how they take care of their homeless population. Last time I was in San Francisco, the front desk clerk took out of map of the downtown and circled an area not far from the hotel and told me to stay away because it's too dangerous. And this is a bustling, pedestrian friendly city. I mean, I love travelling in the US, but it's far from perfect.