Will Atlanta sprawl to Columbus and Macon? (Marietta, Alpharetta: safe, train)

[ATLCOL1]

Does anyone think that the Atlanta metro area will ever overtake the Columbus metro and Macon metro areas? Atlanta continues to grow in all directions. As Atlanta pushes south, cities like Columbus and Macon continue to push north. What are the chances of Columbus and Macon being overtaken by metro Atlanta?

[plessthanpointohfive]

I don't know about overtaken...but if they ever build some serious rail between Atlanta and other Georgia cities we'd see monstrous growth and all those cities begin a symbiotic relationship...

[gt6974a]

no..............

[BobKovacs]

As already said, it's not likely to happen without rail- 80 miles + isn't a realistic commute via car- even by rail it's a stretch.

[plessthanpointohfive]

There'd have to be some reason for business to happen BETWEEN these cities for this to happen.

It's a 2 hour drive to Columbus by car (from downtown Atlanta). I wonder how long a train would take if it were non-stop?

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

There'd have to be some reason for business to happen BETWEEN these cities for this to happen.

It's a 2 hour drive to Columbus by car (from downtown Atlanta). I wonder how long a train would take if it were non-stop?

Unless it was a "high-speed" train, it'd still be between 1 and 1.5 hours, so there's not a huge savings, really.

[plessthanpointohfive]

nope.

More than likely we'll see what some of us have already talked about...places like Lawrenceville and Marietta and then south start growing into more urban places for themselves. But not whole other cities farther out...

[Mamato3BB's]

Those cities are pretty far out, I would say no way. Even with rail they will never be 'overtaken' IMO.

[TNRyan23]

Eventually, like probably in the next 100 years, At the rate things are building up... I could see developement with the possibility of urban and suburban sprawl that could go from the Columbus, GA area, through Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Nashville.

Obviously, I'm not saying it would or will happen, Just said I could see it. I seriously doubt you'll ever see someone in Nashville commuting to Atlanta everyday for work, However, It's possible to have the sprawl covering these areas.

[atlantagreg30127]

It would be more realistic to say that Chattanooga will be to Atlanta in 30 years what Cartersville is to Atlanta now - a "rural suburb", though Chattanooga isn't exactly rural. Atlanta continues to favor growth to the North. Eventually it will get to the point where areas like Dahlonega are overbuilt and close to being what Alpharetta is today, with North Georgia and the Tennessee border being considered rural suburban areas.

The Southside is the Southside. It's never been favored among developers for a variety of reasons, and I don't think it ever will anytime in the near future. Macon is safe - much more so Columbus.