An ugly agenda at work on MLK? (Atlanta, Martin: low income, houses)

[arjay57]

Sounds like a lot of locals are not too thrilled about the road diet and pedestrianization that's being kerplopped on their community. Maybe it's just the cost of being gentrified.

Sure, the expensive and expansive project is meant to tidy up a mostly sad and tired corridor named for Atlanta’s most famous son.

But many residents complain they’ve been dealt a dose of social engineering, a plan fresh out of the new urbanism handbook to throttle traffic, add bike lanes and empower pedestrians. It’s the wave of the future for reconfiguring streets across Atlanta — busy thoroughfares that handle traffic.

Back in February, more than 200 residents gathered at the CT Martin Rec Center on the southwest side to let Atlanta officials have it because of delays in improving roads and sidewalks.

Full article....Torpy at Large: Some see an ugly agenda to MLK Drive beautification

[ronricks]

Not sure how making things safer for people walking and biking and making cars go slower is based on social engineering. The area certainly needs more diversity of all kinds.

[seussie]

The two women also drove around with the Fire Department in August because there are concerns about firetrucks turning the now-tight corners or having trouble accessing houses because of the median.

From the article. Valid concern. Suburbs relish in expanded lanes. Now it's expected for city lanes to be smaller. Sounds like the organization of it all is just mostly FUBAR, except for those with homes on main roads who should've expected some city encroachment for, well, anything, at any time. The lane project across from the Benz is pretty rickety as it stands. Almost everyone blows through the stop signs because construction signage and its current state is just trash. They should have kept it closed off until it was actually complete.

[ATLfromJAX]

Use to cut thru MLK to get in and out of downtown all the time. The new traffic flow is kind of annoying. MLK lanes are very narrow and ppl were flying thru there. Could have been better ways to calm traffic than those medians.

This feels like some Midtown goodie-two shoe bike supporters shoving their ideal thoughts on what's good for that "community" without getting proper input. And that's dead wrong. And that's just old-school patronizing - no matter the benefits or intentions.

That part of town has been getting the short end of the stick. And it continues. Anything that riles up retired folks like that must have taken the wrong approach.

[architect77]

Originally Posted by ATLfromJAX

Use to cut thru MLK to get in and out of downtown all the time. The new traffic flow is kind of annoying. MLK lanes are very narrow and ppl were flying thru there. Could have been better ways to calm traffic than those medians.

This feels like some Midtown goodie-two shoe bike supporters shoving their ideal thoughts on what's good for that "community" without getting proper input. And that's dead wrong. And that's just old-school patronizing - no matter the benefits or intentions.

That part of town has been getting the short end of the stick. And it continues. Anything that riles up retired folks like that must have taken the wrong approach.

Dedicated bike lanes are better than biker's now taking the whole lane and pedaling much slower than the speed limit.

If you build a pedestrian refuge median, there are supposed to be designated sport with curb cuts for left turns/ u turns.

[ATLfromJAX]

Originally Posted by architect77

Dedicated bike lanes are better than biker's now taking the whole lane and pedaling much slower than the speed limit.

If you build a pedestrian refuge median, there are supposed to be designated sport with curb cuts for left turns/ u turns.

Cool. Understand.

1. However, there haven't been many bikes on that stretch of MLK. May change with bike lanes. But probably won't until the neighborhood gentrifies more.

2. If the neighborhood doesn't want it or support it, why are you trying to shove stuff down their throats? It's coming off as patronizing, which a lot of minority and low income neighborhoods hate, no matter how well-intentioned.

Those bike lanes would have way more support in Midtown, Buckhead, East Atlanta, Candler Park, Inman Park, and O4W. Start there and put them where they are wanted now.

[demonta4]

Originally Posted by ATLfromJAX

Cool. Understand.

1. However, there haven't been many bikes on that stretch of MLK. May change with bike lanes. But probably won't until the neighborhood gentrifies more.

2. If the neighborhood doesn't want it or support it, why are you trying to shove stuff down their throats? It's coming off as patronizing, which a lot of minority and low income neighborhoods hate, no matter how well-intentioned.

Those bike lanes would have way more support in Midtown, Buckhead, East Atlanta, Candler Park, Inman Park, and O4W. Start there and put them where they are wanted now.

Not everyone is against this. We need more bike lanes all over, especially in our low-income neighborhoods where pedestrian deaths are the highest. I don't care that a few homeowners have to take an extra 50 seconds to make a u-turn.

[wasel]

What exactly is the "ugly agenda" being implied here? I read the article and don't understand what he is implying.

[luv4horses]

Promoting bike riding just makes it harder for pedestrians. Its not much fun getting run into by a cyclist, most of whom are recreational riders.

[JayHey]

Originally Posted by luv4horses

Promoting bike riding just makes it harder for pedestrians. Its not much fun getting run into by a cyclist, most of whom are recreational riders.

No, just no. In no ways whatsoever is this correct. Bike lanes are not more dangerous or make things more difficult for pedestrians than regular lanes.

It's not fun to get run into by a bike when on foot, but it's typically going to be a whole lot more fun than getting hit by a car. Besides that though, I don't think there are any stats out there that show bike lanes increase cyclists/pedestrian collisions.