2013 county, metro area estimates released (Atlanta, Columbus: high crime, universities, living)

[Rising-Star]

Originally Posted by PJA

Those projects should help start attracting people back to Macon. Maybe the estimates next year will actually have an increase. However, since these are estimates, Macon could have in fact gained...we won't know for sure until 2020.

You do have a good point,but its not likely that they made that big or a mistake. Maybe it was just an off year. It will probably be back to gaining next year.

[Newsboy]

I think eventually, Macon is going to benefit enormously for being so close to ATL. Do people realize that it's only 45 minutes from Macon to McDonough / Henry Couny? It's a little over an hour from Macon to ATL airport. The North Macon suburbs (especially Forsyth) are within easy commuting distance of South Metro ATL job centers.

I think it's safe to say the Macon and Atlanta CSAs will eventually be joined.

[Rising-Star]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

I think eventually, Macon is going to benefit enormously for being so close to ATL. Do people realize that it's only 45 minutes from Macon to McDonough / Henry Couny? It's a little over an hour from Macon to ATL airport. The North Macon suburbs (especially Forsyth) are within easy commuting distance of South Metro ATL job centers.

I think it's safe to say the Macon and Atlanta CSAs will eventually be joined.

How long do you think that will take?

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by Rising-Star

How long do you think that will take?

I think by 2030 easily ... If not before.

[Mutiny77]

Atlanta-Chattanooga-Macon-Athens CSA? Yikes.

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Atlanta-Chattanooga-Macon-Athens CSA? Yikes.

You could add Columbus in there too. The Atlanta and Columbus metros already touch. The proposed high-speed rail, which is moving faster than we thought, will only bring them closer.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

I think eventually, Macon is going to benefit enormously for being so close to ATL. Do people realize that it's only 45 minutes from Macon to McDonough / Henry Couny? It's a little over an hour from Macon to ATL airport. The North Macon suburbs (especially Forsyth) are within easy commuting distance of South Metro ATL job centers.

I think it's safe to say the Macon and Atlanta CSAs will eventually be joined.

These are some good points and a good prediction.

The process of Macon benefitting greatly from being so close to Atlanta could be sped-up with some meaningful transportation infrastructure improvements like:

...The implementation of high-speed (or higher-speed) passenger rail transit service (high-speed regional commuter or interurban rail service) between Atlanta and Perry by way of the Atlanta Airport, Griffin, Barnesville, Forsyth, Macon and Warner Robins, and...

...Widening I-75 to 8 lanes (4 lanes in each direction) between the I-675 merge/split south of Atlanta and the I-475 Bypass split/merge just north of Macon, with variable speed limits up to 75-80 mph and congestion pricing in the form of variable cash-back tolls implemented on the road after construction is completed.

Implementing high-speed passenger rail service, widening I-75, installing variable speed limits and raising the maximum speed limit will have the effect of making Macon more conveniently-accessed to and from Atlanta, something which would help to make Macon seem like a suburb of Atlanta and also put Macon and Middle Georgia in a much-better position to benefit more-directly from metro Atlanta's continued high growth rates.

[midgeorgiaman]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Atlanta-Chattanooga-Macon-Athens CSA? Yikes.

That just sounds terrible. The Georgia CSA...as in half the state. Lol. It sounds preposterous...but...North Monroe county is already home to many metro commuters and south Monroe is firmly Metro Macon.

I dont know if the density will ever be there but it could happen albeit the only commuters will be within a few minutes of I75

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Atlanta-Chattanooga-Macon-Athens CSA? Yikes.

Originally Posted by Columbus1984

You could add Columbus in there too. The Atlanta and Columbus metros already touch. The proposed high-speed rail, which is moving faster than we thought, will only bring them closer.

Originally Posted by midgeorgiaman

That just sounds terrible. The Georgia CSA...as in half the state. Lol. It sounds preposterous...but...North Monroe county is already home to many metro commuters and south Monroe is firmly Metro Macon.

I dont know if the density will ever be there but it could happen albeit the only commuters will be within a few minutes of I75

Just like people tease Houston by calling it "The Blob That Ate South Texas" for Houston's explosive growth and ever-expanding geographical footprint across Southeast Texas, people will be able to tease Atlanta as being "The Blob That Ate North Georgia" for its continued explosive growth that threatens to expand Atlanta's regional geographical footprint across most of Georgia above the Gnat Line.

[Rising-Star]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Atlanta-Chattanooga-Macon-Athens CSA? Yikes.

That would be huge.I thinks that that's way to large of an area to grouped in the same CSA, since it takes up a very large portion of the state. For all of them to grouped into one,they would have to have a large number of employment interchange between the cites, and I don't see that happening anytime soon.