Most "big city" feel of the south (economy, better, largest)

[R1070]

lol ya that was the first time i've heard that Atlanta has smaller freeways. They are pretty wide in a lot of points. The amount of freeways in the Atlanta area is smaller than Dallas and Houston and larger than Miami. Maybe he meant the amount of freeways.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by MikeandIke27

Which gives Atlanta a more urban big city feel.. Houston feels larger driving thru it... I dont understand why Houston doesnt have a comparable Rail system being large as it is.

Politics. That's why. No city in this country faced the type of opposition like Houston did in the 80s and 90s.

[AlGreen]

Originally Posted by Scarface713

Not to mention the feel of each city once you get off of the freeways. In Atlanta, when you get off of the freeways, you're more likely to be on a country looking road that twist and turns and is only one lane in each direction. In Houston, there is a massive street grid system with roads that have two, three, and even four (Westheimer) lanes in each direction.

good point. those large lots that you can even find ITP can make parts of the Atlanta area seem a bit more pastoral than its peers.

Originally Posted by R1070

Having the heavy rail system in Atlanta gives it an edge if you are actually riding the train. For someone visiting they may not even know there was a train, especially since it is a typical sunbelt city where a vehicle is the primary mode of transport. Marta does have impressive ridership numbers but tends to cater to captured riders where it serves many inner city neighborhoods that may be the only means of transportation for a lot of people that have grown up around the trains.

another good point. MARTA is what gives Atlanta somewhat of a more urbane edge over Houston and Dallas. it's older, and as you said, many of the intown residents have grown up using the trains. that's not at all common for a Sunbelt city

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Atlanta's freeways are actually quite large. It can compete with the big boys...LA & Houston.

Originally Posted by S.W.A.T.S

Atlanta has small freeways? Really?!

I did not say Atlanta's freeways were small. I said they were smaller than Houston's. pay attention to what I'm saying, people.

[AlGreen]

Originally Posted by R1070

lol ya that was the first time i've heard that Atlanta has smaller freeways. They are pretty wide in a lot of points. The amount of freeways in the Atlanta area is smaller than Dallas and Houston and larger than Miami. Maybe he meant the amount of freeways.

that and they're just less massive. there's less concrete. no wide feeder roads, no multiple huge stack interchanges

[Trae713]

Originally Posted by AlGreen

that and they're just less massive. there's less concrete. no wide feeder roads, no multiple huge stack interchanges

That whistling sound that concrete does while driving helps with the massiveness. Asphalt is quiet.

[AlGreen]

Originally Posted by Scarface713

Some Houston Inner Loop skyline photos:

that's probably the most amazing pic of houston's skyline at night that I've ever seen. very relaxing

[MikeandIke27]

Originally Posted by grapico

How can you possibly get the feel of a city driving through it? That logic is just insane, especially since you'd see the city on an interstate. It's like saying Houston or city X looks bigger in movies.

Its not insane you can feel it driving thru it. I cant tell how big the city is if I dont get out and drive around. How Am I going to know how big Houston feels if I just stay in one area, Its not like I can catch a train around the city or walk the entire city.

[MikeandIke27]

Some of my Favs of Atlanta


[IMG]http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii210/blkspice21/m-1.jpg[

[Trae713]

Some more of Houston:









And off in the distance...

[polo89]

Originally Posted by Scarface713

Some Houston Inner Loop skyline photos:

Downtown:







Uptown:





Texas Medical Center:







Greenway Plaza:

That 4th shot of Houston always makes Houston look so darn urban. It kinda looks like Chicago.