Some Atlanta leaders want to start charging you to drive into the city (Smyrna: rent, vehicle registration)

[David1502]

Question: If there is a belief that all those driving through the City Limits of Atlanta who are not residents of the City should pay for the privilege of driving on the roads, what about those millions driving from the states to the north (from Tennessee to Michigan aw well as the other states of the Midwest) who are driving to Florida? The City of Atlanta would be the only toll they would be required to pay - Besides, the interstates are the responsibility of the U.S. DOT in cooperation with the states Departments of Transportation. Why should these long distance drivers be responsible for subsidizing the City of Atlanta. It is impossible to travel I-285 around Atlanta without entering the City Limits, therefore all drivers to Florida would be forced to pay this toll and it would be the only toll on the interstate highway system outside of the New Jersey Turnpike. Jacksonville removed their tolls years ago.


There are many provincial posters here who see only suburbanites, whom they loathe, causing destruction to the streets of the City of Atlanta, as the only traffic on Atlanta highways. They also forget that these same suburbanites and other out of towners spend a lot of money in Buckhead shopping and eating at expensive restaurants. Years ago, I heard the figure that 40% of all sales at Phipps Plaza were from shoppers whose zip code was more than 100 miles away. Putting up a toll which applies to non city residents only sends the message that outsiders are not welcome.

[ATLTJL]

Florida's Turnpike is a state highway. And there are plenty of other options for going where it goes.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Florida's Turnpike is a state highway. And there are plenty of other options for going where it goes.

Yep. Like taking the private Brightline train. Things like that will become more viable in metro Atlanta if we directly charge drivers too.

[Otakumaster]

Yall are wasting your breath.

Anyone that doesn't realize that how much people who don't live in Atlanta spends in Atlanta is a fool.

What or how many car centric cities charges people to drive in and spend money in the city?

This is cutting off the nose to spite the face.

[blktoptrvl]

I didn't read the article, but it seems to me that if ALL parking fees are raised, that would in fact be a charge for driving into the city.

At the same time though they would have to exempt all residential parking.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by Otakumaster

Yall are wasting your breath.

Anyone that doesn't realize that how much people who don't live in Atlanta spends in Atlanta is a fool.

What or how many car centric cities charges people to drive in and spend money in the city?

This is cutting off the nose to spite the face.

Atlanta is desiring to shift away from being a car-centric city. It is not working. People need real choices in transportation and lifestyle.

That doesn't mean you can't have a car. It just means you should not expect it to be the best and cheapest (often only) way to get around the metro as many do today.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by blktoptrvl

I didn't read the article, but it seems to me that if ALL parking fees are raised, that would in fact be a charge for driving into the city.

At the same time though they would have to exempt all residential parking.

Not a bad idea. But what about people that neither live, work, or shop in Atlanta but still drive through / across it?

[Otakumaster]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Atlanta is desiring to shift away from being a car-centric city. It is not working. People need real choices in transportation and lifestyle.

That doesn't mean you can't have a car. It just means you should not expect it to be the best and cheapest (often only) way to get around the metro as many do today.

Driving is never the cheapest way anyway, so quit obtuse.

It is the only way for the vast majority of the metro area which is why it doesn't make sense to charge them when they are driving to the city to spend money.

[Otakumaster]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Not a bad idea. But what about people that neither live, work, or shop in Atlanta but still drive through / across it?

People driving through or across the city usually take federal or state highways not even owned by the city. What are you talking about?

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by Otakumaster

Driving is never the cheapest way anyway, so quit obtuse.

It is the only way for the vast majority of the metro area which is why it doesn't make sense to charge them when they are driving to the city to spend money.

Few people drive from the suburbs into the city to do their regular shopping.

Originally Posted by Otakumaster

It is the only way for the vast majority of the metro area which is why it doesn't make sense to charge them when they are driving to the city to spend money.

That is not a valid reason for it to be free to them & Atlanta residents to pick up the costs. Sounds like the suburbs need to do a better job of providing transportation alternatives to their residents.

Heck, even if the suburb you live doesn't do anything to bring transit to you there are MARTA station on the edge / outside the city limits in every direction that you can drive to and take into the city if you don't want to pay towards using the roads in Atlanta.