Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Since when did Atlanta need to be like DC. And why does every city have to look like a northeastern city?. ANd with DC being so Urban why is the traffic so horrible there its just as bad as Atlanta..
I just find it hilarious that D.C has the 2nd worst traffic in the nation, yet some of the citizens of the great District preach to us about urbanism. They sit in traffic longer than we do but tell us we need to be dense like them and use transit like they do. Seems to me like they could learn a few lessons from us and vice versa.
I just find it hilarious that D.C has the 2nd worst traffic in the nation, yet some of the citizens of the great District preach to us about urbanism. They sit in traffic longer than we do but tell us we need to be dense like them and use transit like they do. Seems to me like they could learn a few lessons from us and vice versa.
Silver Spring includes anything with a Silver Spring mailing address which includes Downtown Silver Spring, Hillandale, White Oak, Briggs Chaney, Wheaton, Glenmont, Aspen Hill, Forest Glen....
I'm no fan of the urban superiority complex that's so prevalent on this board by any means, but it's kind of easy to understand why DC's traffic has gotten worse in the past few years while Atlanta's didn't get as worse. Look at the effects the recession had on each city. In that respect, there isn't any sort of lesson to be learned but Atlanta is indeed embracing increased density and transit, which is the correct approach. It doesn't hurt Atlantans to say that area leaders didn't do that to the greatest extent that they could (even given the restrictive circumstances that existed) in years past, but that situation is now being rectified with reasonable urgency. It also wouldn't hurt others to acknowledge that, if they are even aware of it in the first place.
I just find it hilarious that D.C has the 2nd worst traffic in the nation, yet some of the citizens of the great District preach to us about urbanism. They sit in traffic longer than we do but tell us we need to be dense like them and use transit like they do. Seems to me like they could learn a few lessons from us and vice versa.
DC's traffic problems are in the suburbs, not in the city proper. Atlanta highways all go through the city. DC doesn't have highways in the city proper except I-395 which is mainly underground. The silver metro line will actually do wonders for traffic in the suburbs. The dulles corridor jobs is the last area with out metro in the whole area. The silver line will be the 10th metro leg out of DC making a complete 10 leg spoke system. That corridor is actually responsible for almost all the traffic in Montgomery county and Northern Virginia. There is only one highway and no metro line into that corridor. That is changing though. DC also has 4 million jobs to Atlanta's 3 million jobs and DC's 4 million jobs are in half the space. DC also has a CSA of 8.6 million people. Comparing the dynamic of DC traffic with Atlanta is useless because of zoning laws in the DC area that have forced jobs into urban hubs thus concentrating jobs in distinct corridors. The one mistake that was made is waiting 50 years to build metro to Dulles which has a huge portion of our jobs. Phase one of the silverline will be done in 2013. To give you an example of the commuting population in that corridor, the silver line is projected to have a 110,000 ridership. That is almost half the ridership of your entire Marta rail system.
Last edited by MDAllstar; 06-16-2011 at 09:13 AM..
DC's traffic problems are in the suburbs, not in the city proper. Atlanta highways all go through the city. DC doesn't have highways in the city proper except I-395 which is mainly underground. The silver metro line will actually do wonders for traffic in the suburbs. The dulles corridor jobs is the last area with out metro in the whole area. The silver line will be the 10th metro leg out of DC making a complete 10 leg spoke system. That corridor is actually responsible for almost all the traffic in Montgomery county and Northern Virginia. There is only one highway and no metro line into that corridor. That is changing though. DC also has 4 million jobs to Atlanta's 3 million jobs and DC's 4 million jobs are in half the space.
That does not negate the fact that D.C has the 2nd worst traffic in the nation. Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, hell even L.A according to the link I posted, sits in traffic on average less than the residents of METRO D.C.
I am not harping on D.C as I actually like the city, but I just find it funny when you guys come in here and act like D.C has no flaws and is so dense and urban (NYC is king) when you all have a long wany to go just as Atlanta and other cities have a long way to go. We are the United States. We all need to be working together, not putting each other down all the time.
DC's traffic problems are in the suburbs, not in the city proper. Atlanta highways all go through the city. DC doesn't have highways in the city proper except I-395 which is mainly underground. The silver metro line will actually do wonders for traffic in the suburbs. The dulles corridor jobs is the last area with out metro in the whole area. The silver line will be the 10th metro leg out of DC making a complete 10 leg spoke system. That corridor is actually responsible for almost all the traffic in Montgomery county and Northern Virginia. There is only one highway and no metro line into that corridor. That is changing though. DC also has 4 million jobs to Atlanta's 3 million jobs and DC's 4 million jobs are in half the space. DC also has a CSA of 8.6 million people. Comparing the dynamic of DC traffic with Atlanta is useless because of zoning laws in the DC area that have forced jobs into urban hubs thus concentrating jobs in distinct corridors. The one mistake that was made is waiting 50 years to build metro to Dulles which has a huge portion of our jobs. Phase one of the silverline will be done in 2013. To give you an example of the commuting population in that corridor, the silver line is projected to have a 110,000 ridership. That is almost half the ridership of your entire Marta rail system.
don't blame Baltimore for that traffic nightmare in dc by using that csa BS as an excuse...we have our own traffic problems.
I'm no fan of the urban superiority complex that's so prevalent on this board by any means, but it's kind of easy to understand why DC's traffic has gotten worse in the past few years while Atlanta's didn't get as worse. Look at the effects the recession had on each city. In that respect, there isn't any sort of lesson to be learned but Atlanta is indeed embracing increased density and transit, which is the correct approach. It doesn't hurt Atlantans to say that area leaders didn't do that to the greatest extent that they could (even given the restrictive circumstances that existed) in years past, but that situation is now being rectified with reasonable urgency. It also wouldn't hurt others to acknowledge that, if they are even aware of it in the first place.
I guess I am not following. Atlanta grew by over 1 million people in 10 years (AGAIN) and D.C grew by 786,000. What's your point? Come on now. That sounds inequitable to me. Traffic is traffic in my eyes.
Atlanta is trying to densify the metro area just like D.C is trying. IMO, both cities should be applauded for their efforts and both can learn from each other, IMO.
I guess I am not following. Atlanta grew by over 1 million people in 10 years (AGAIN) and D.C grew by 786,000. What's your point? Come on now. That sounds inequitable to me. Traffic is traffic in my eyes.
We're not talking about a 10-year span. The traffic study cited uses 2009 figures and compares them with 2008 figures, years which also correspond with the height of the Great Recession. Atlanta's growth slowed considerably in those years as it experienced the effects of the recession much more acutely than DC.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Seems to me like they could learn a few lessons from us and vice versa.
