Smyrna, Mableton, Vinings (Atlanta, Marietta, Perry: house, employment, school)

[kagmypts]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

In your case, why don't you take Cooper Lake to Atlanta Road directly? Or is that worse at that time of the morning?

We live on the other side of the E-W Connector from Atlanta Road. It only takes about 10 minutes once we actually hit the E-W Connector (and Atlanta Road is actually quite backed up from the E-W Connector to 285). The traffic is the main reason we are moving in-town!

[kwr]

Originally Posted by kagmypts

I just wanted to add that Vinings Estates is not in Mableton. It is in Smyrna city limits.

Wrong. Vinings Estates is in MABLETON.

[kagmypts]

Originally Posted by kwr

Wrong. Vinings Estates is in MABLETON.

You are WRONG! We live in Vinings Estates, and although we have a Mableton mailing address, we are not in Mableton. We live in the city of Smyrna and pay Smyrna taxes. The only reason that we have a Mableton mailing address is because of a political battle... we have been fighting for quite some time to be serviced by the Smyrna post office (where we live), but it will be at least another 3 years before that can even be up for review. Once again, Vinings Estates is in Smyrna. In case you care, there are 3 other neighborhoods that are in the same boat as us - are located in Smyrna but are serviced by the Mableton post office.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by kagmypts

We live on the other side of the E-W Connector from Atlanta Road. It only takes about 10 minutes once we actually hit the E-W Connector (and Atlanta Road is actually quite backed up from the E-W Connector to 285). The traffic is the main reason we are moving in-town!

I forget that I commute later than most people. I leave for work around 10:15. ATL road is virtually clear when I get there. Sometimes I get stopped on every light on the way to 285 so it'd probably be helpful in terms of traffic if they synchronized the lights.

Originally Posted by kagmypts

You are WRONG! We live in Vinings Estates, and although we have a Mableton mailing address, we are not in Mableton. We live in the city of Smyrna and pay Smyrna taxes. The only reason that we have a Mableton mailing address is because of a political battle... we have been fighting for quite some time to be serviced by the Smyrna post office (where we live), but it will be at least another 3 years before that can even be up for review. Once again, Vinings Estates is in Smyrna. In case you care, there are 3 other neighborhoods that are in the same boat as us - are located in Smyrna but are serviced by the Mableton post office.

I think both of you are right in a sense. I believe Vinings Estates is in an area that was at one point annexed by Smyrna. So, historically it used to be considered "Mableton", however, as it stands right now that neighborhood is within the Smyrna city boundaries. The Georgia Township Act aside, Mableton can't be more than an unincorporated census-designated place unless it incorporated, so the idea of something being part of "Mableton" (or "Milford" for that matter) is really kind of irrelevant since a neighborhood can be gobbled up by any neighboring city that wishes to annex it if the citizens in that neighborhood allow it.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by kagmypts

We live on the other side of the E-W Connector from Atlanta Road. It only takes about 10 minutes once we actually hit the E-W Connector (and Atlanta Road is actually quite backed up from the E-W Connector to 285). The traffic is the main reason we are moving in-town!

I guess I was thinking you were on the other side, so I understand the traffic you're talking about (when I've decided to leave earlier, I've sometimes hit a tremendous traffic line on Cooper Lake just getting to the Connector). But like I said, sometimes there isn't a line at all in the morning depending on where in the hour you are, and when I drive to work there's never a line at that intersection.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by netdragon

I forget that I commute later than most people. I leave for work around 10:15. ATL road is virtually clear when I get there. Sometimes I get stopped on every light on the way to 285 so it'd probably be helpful in terms of traffic if they synchronized the lights.

Timing seems to be critical in that area. After perhaps 9:15 or 9:30, there isn't all that much traffic in that area of town. I normally just drive up Cooper Lake to the intersection and turn right as traffic permits, and I'd guess roughly half the time there is no car in front of me at all in the turn lane.

[netdragon]

Cooper Lake between E-W and Mableton kind of stinks because it wasn't designed for high traffic volume. I wonder if it's any better on Fontaine or heading towards Veteran's Memorial.

[kagmypts]

I hope that the recent E-W Connector expansion will help with some of the congestion out this way (in case the OP is still considering this area). On a couple of odd mornings, it will only take about 10 minutes to get to ATL Road and 285, but those are few and far between. Good luck!

By the way, netdragon you are correct that this area was previously annexed by Smyrna, and that Vinings Estates currently sits within Smyrna (and not an unicorporated area of Cobb - whether that be Mableton or any other area).

[kagmypts]

Netdragon, I was just rereading through the first page of this thread and noticed you live off of Camp Highland. Honestly, that area is just that much closer than Cooper Lake. I agree that there are some nice houses out this way, but for those of us who commute during rush hour, the congestion of Cooper Lake as well as the E-W Connector makes it not a great commute. By being at Camp Highland, you avoid probably 20 minutes of traffic from Cooper Lake.

As for Fontaine or Veteran's Memorial, neither of those are any shorter. I have tried Fontaine on quite a few occasions, and although the line getting onto E-W Connector is shorter, there are fewer lanes, and hence the traffic moves just as slow, if not slower, than Cooper Lake.

[netdragon]

As far as Mableton as an area goes, I think both Mableton will benefit if the GA township act is completely adopted. It will be able to register as townships and levy a 0.5% tax, zoning rules, and vote for a council. Right now, Smyrna has the advantage of central planning whereas Vinings and Mableton have to rely on county decisions. Vinings is in a better position because it's already established, has very little open land, and therefore the county is much less likely to make decisions that will hurt the real estate in the area. Mableton still lacks an identity so the Mableton Improvement Coalition is the only thing stopping overzealous developers from making a mess of it. Unfortunately, the MIC can't enforce zoning or a central plan and has no funds. Additionally, the county recently dropped a planned TAD for Mableton because it lacked backing, which is very disappointing. Therefore, if Mableton gets township status and can levy a small tax, it can make its own decisions and not rely on the county to make them for it.

The intersection of E-W and Cooper Lake is poorly designed and can probably be improved. Perhaps widening Fontaine and creating additional cut-throughs to Fontaine from Cooper Lake all the way down to the center of Mableton (Nickajack is the only one and isn't designed for high traffic either) so people farther out (such as Old Vinings Lake) can bypass most of Cooper Lake. Fontaine was designed for more traffic than Cooper Lake and is considered the main artery in that area but it could use an extra lane.