Alright, I'll tentatively support the Northern Arc. (Atlanta, Jackson: neighborhoods, buy)

[toll_booth]

Under a few conditions, that is. And they're not negotiable.

1. The highway must be permanently tolled. If we "can't afford" critical items such as education and basic services, we can't afford luxury items such as this (because that's really what the Northern Arc would be).
2. At no point in the future may the highway ever exceed three lanes in each direction except near exits.
3. This is the big one: Urban growth boundaries must be enacted in Bartow (east of I-75), Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, and perhaps Jackson (west of I-85) Counties. We absolutely cannot let this lead to the next round of exurb sprawl.

Like I said, I'm now willing to seriously consider the Northern Arc ONLY if all three conditions are met.

[bryantm3]

the northern arc is dead, isn't it? i haven't heard anything about it in years. honestly we don't need another interstate. we've ruined the countryside quite enough already.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

the northern arc is dead, isn't it? i haven't heard anything about it in years. honestly we don't need another interstate. we've ruined the countryside quite enough already.

dead... the only part of the project still alive is Gwinentt Count's Sugarloaf pkwy extension.

They originally bought the land for the northern arc before neighborhoods in the area were build. They realized the freeway couldn't go further north and cross Lanier.

So now they want to build a mini county freeway, similar to Ronald Reagan pkwy, in place of spending more money on all the arterial roads in the area.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Under a few conditions, that is. And they're not negotiable.

1. The highway must be permanently tolled. If we "can't afford" critical items such as education and basic services, we can't afford luxury items such as this (because that's really what the Northern Arc would be).
2. At no point in the future may the highway ever exceed three lanes in each direction except near exits.
3. This is the big one: Urban growth boundaries must be enacted in Bartow (east of I-75), Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, and perhaps Jackson (west of I-85) Counties. We absolutely cannot let this lead to the next round of exurb sprawl.

Like I said, I'm now willing to seriously consider the Northern Arc ONLY if all three conditions are met.

I'll add a #4:

4. Implementation of the Northern Arc must coincide with or come after the implementation of a Commuter Rail System for Metro Atlanta/North Georgia.

[Hawknest]

Originally Posted by aries4118

I'll add a #4:

4. Implementation of the Northern Arc must coincide with or come after the implementation of a Commuter Rail System for Metro Atlanta/North Georgia.

Absolutely! Without the extension of MARTA - this is all a waste of time and money

[ATLTJL]

Oh good, you're finally on board! Now it can be built at long last!

[Carolina Knight]

I like the aforementioned ideas for the Northern Arc to be built. I would gladly pay toll to help fund Georgia's infrastructure and use the road frequently when traveleing between Chattanooga, Tennessee and Greenville, South Carolina. Communities along the Northern Arc should be more proactive in being responsible in their growth.

[Saintmarks]

This highway was needed LONG ago. I don't buy the sprawl argument, the area where the Northern Arc was supposed to go in the first place is full of sprawl anyway.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Hawknest

Absolutely! Without the extension of MARTA - this is all a waste of time and money

Remember though--commuter rail is largely different from MARTA's heavy rail system.

Commuter rail would be established on existing rail-lines and would extend from the city center, through the suburbs, on out to the exurban/rural fringe.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

This is the big one: Urban growth boundaries must be enacted in Bartow (east of I-75), Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, and perhaps Jackson (west of I-85) Counties. We absolutely cannot let this lead to the next round of exurb sprawl.

Practically speaking that would never happen here. You've already got major growth out that way and people will not give up their property rights.