What will it take to change the mentality about transportation in this city? (Atlanta: low income, crime)

[cabasse]

Originally Posted by BringBackCobain

Atlanta has MARTA, which is way more than any other Sun Belt cities, so be thankful for what we have. Even places like Houston and Dallas are building light rail, but they probably never will have a heavy rail subway system. We will get light rail soon enough. Besides, we need to build up the density around the current system before we start expanding it.

that build-up is slowly happening on a few key stations, but it's hard to do so when so many of the stations are basically huge bunkers designed primarily for commuters who drive. (quite a few right in the city, even)

i think (certainly hope so, at least) that if/when marta is taken over by the state and integrated into a regional transportation system, marta/whoever can start to focus on fixing some of those glaringly obvious bad decisions.

Inman Park (and Candler Pk, East Lake, etc) none of these (for example) have any kind of human/pedestrian-scaled forms or uses nearby, but are prime examples of huge potential for redevelopment due to their location.

[kayoticworld]

Originally Posted by BringBackCobain

Atlanta has MARTA, which is way more than any other Sun Belt cities, so be thankful for what we have. Even places like Houston and Dallas are building light rail, but they probably never will have a heavy rail subway system. We will get light rail soon enough. Besides, we need to build up the density around the current system before we start expanding it.

You won't get any arguments from me on that. Yes Marta is definetely a true asset! Sorry if my post came off as if I was saying Atlanta shouldn't be thankful for it. You are right.....there are plenty of cities that would kill to get a system anything like Marta. Also their are plenty of cities that would die to have anything similar to the beltline fall in their lap. Yet our local government seems overjoyed in sitting on theiir hands. I get passionate about seeing the overall city succeed! Whats good for Atlanta, is good for the whole metro area. It just seems like the build it anywhere and they will come culture has run this town to long, which is why we are now playing this game of catch up with density.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by kayoticworld

DeaconJ......I agree this generally seems to be the attitude of most Americans. Give us our cars or give us death! It justs seems to me to be more prevelant in Atlanta. Take cities with some form of mass transit other than buses....cities like NY, Boston, DC, San Francisco, Chicago, San Diego just to name a few. I have seen with my own eyes and the difference is like night and day!
As to the tube, I haven't been to England yet, so I can't comment on that. However I have been all over Europe, Asia, and even South America. Almost 98% of the time I felt safe! People are respectful( A lost art within itself) and it seems that for the most part public trans is perferred! So maybe you're right......Maybe it's the American culture!

San Diego as an example?

And Atlanta does have some form (a lot, actually) of mass transit other than buses.


But I agree--Atlanta does need a more comprehensive public transportation system/network.

[kayoticworld]

[quote=aries4118;16180477]San Diego as an example?

quote]

The San Diego part was me basically saying that I didn't see class issues with people riding the trolleys. I can see how I might have lost you!

[kayoticworld]

Originally Posted by MilkMachine

I think we are going to reach the point where oil becomes super expensive and then we won't have a choice but to adapt. When that point comes it's going to suck because I doubt the infrastructure will be there, and those of us who have been taking measures to improve things all along are going to be sharing public transportation with a throng of people who held on until the bitter end, never supported projects like the Belt Line, and are now crying because they can't afford to drive their Grand Cherokees.

I agree! Sad it has to get to that point!

[AcidSnake]

Great point. At least no one is accusing you of making this issue a "city versus suburb" argument, like I have been on waaay too many occasions.

Originally Posted by BringBackCobain

Atlanta has MARTA, which is way more than any other Sun Belt cities, so be thankful for what we have. Even places like Houston and Dallas are building light rail, but they probably never will have a heavy rail subway system. We will get light rail soon enough. Besides, we need to build up the density around the current system before we start expanding it.

[AcidSnake]

That's probably a consequence of our extreme cultural need to adhere to pure free market principles & hyper individualism as much as possible, consequences be darned.

But I am agreement with the principle that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, especially when it comes to solving the problems of a growing population, increasing gridlock, & finite energy supplies.

Originally Posted by MilkMachine

I think we are going to reach the point where oil becomes super expensive and then we won't have a choice but to adapt. When that point comes it's going to suck because I doubt the infrastructure will be there, and those of us who have been taking measures to improve things all along are going to be sharing public transportation with a throng of people who held on until the bitter end, never supported projects like the Belt Line, and are now crying because they can't afford to drive their Grand Cherokees.

[kayrob]

Originally Posted by kayoticworld

You won't get any arguments from me on that. Yes Marta is definetely a true asset! Sorry if my post came off as if I was saying Atlanta shouldn't be thankful for it. You are right.....there are plenty of cities that would kill to get a system anything like Marta. Also their are plenty of cities that would die to have anything similar to the beltline fall in their lap. Yet our local government seems overjoyed in sitting on theiir hands. I get passionate about seeing the overall city succeed! Whats good for Atlanta, is good for the whole metro area. It just seems like the build it anywhere and they will come culture has run this town to long, which is why we are now playing this game of catch up with density.

I think it's more the state Government. The same ones who are now going around trying to convince everyone to rubberstamp them or others of their ilk back into office in order to maintain the status quo.

[arjay57]

I think gasoline will have to get up to around $6 a gallon or so before people look to other modes of transportation. When it costs $125 to fill up ye olde tank that will get people's attention.

But until then, let's face it. The automobile is a fantastic way to get around. Climate controlled, satellite radio, leather seats, and parked right outside your door, usually for free. It's a snap to haul your stuff or carry a few passengers. And most importantly, a car takes you wherever you want to go, whenever you're ready. Our lifestyles in virtually every part of the United States have been built around the automobile for a century, and it will take something truly cataclysmic to bring about large scale change.

[K-SawDude]

I do think gas prices is one side of the equation. But there are other major impediments to using public transit--a primary one being safety.

I've lived in a couple of major European cities, and I love being able to take subways, cable cars, trams, buses. I also have no problem walking for 20 min. to get to a major subway. But the problem in Atlanta is that some of the major stops on MARTA just aren't safe to walk to at all. I'm on the Westside, and Bankhead the only stop I can realistically get to. But I'd be an idiot to walk to and from there on a regular basis, especially at nighttime.

In London I never felt like I was going to get shot. I don't know if the Atlanta transit safety issue is more of a police deal or a density/development problem--probably a mixture of both. But that's absolutely got to improve if they want to get more people using the transit that's already in place.