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In the case of Atlanta, some of that sprawl was actually generated by an effort to bolster mass transit.
In the Atlanta area, the left lanes of I-75 were reserved for vehicles with more than one occupant decades ago, and in Atlanta, many important freeway ramps were left-hand exits, effectively denying access to certain freeways for some solo drivers.
To be sure, thousands of commuters did "RideShare, the Georgia Way", but many more people - and businesses, got around the problem by building where the carpool lanes weren't.
Except for... MARTA, the eight largest such transit system in the United States, you mean?
But MARTA, although large, isn't well connected to the suburbs. So it still doesn't help most people in the metro area. Many of the residents prefer it that way. So that's on them, but days like this make it difficult.
An ex colleague came back from a cross country trip, she lives in one of those disconnected burbs. She had to spend the night at a friends place who lives closer in because she couldn't get home. There were no alternatives for her since the roads were closed.
That's terrible planning.
Also keep in mind ATL rarely gets snow so they don't have much of the infrastructure like blowers and plows to clear the roads.
In any area where snow and ice are rare, such as most of the American south, there is going to be a lot of disruption when those conditions develop. The reason is simple: Where snow and ice are rare, the locality is not equipped to cope with same! It's fascinating how the anti-car fanatics seize on anything and everything to demonize "sprawl", which they apparently consider a dirty word.
In any area where snow and ice are rare, such as most of the American south, there is going to be a lot of disruption when those conditions develop. The reason is simple: Where snow and ice are rare, the locality is not equipped to cope with same! It's fascinating how the anti-car fanatics seize on anything and everything to demonize "sprawl", which they apparently consider a dirty word.
Happy to demonize sprawl, the dirtiest of dirty words.
Rare events like this can cause issues... I know Wendel Cox used the effects of the 2003 black out on Toronto as an argument for not being too reliant on electric public transit.
In any area where snow and ice are rare, such as most of the American south, there is going to be a lot of disruption when those conditions develop. The reason is simple: Where snow and ice are rare, the locality is not equipped to cope with same! It's fascinating how the anti-car fanatics seize on anything and everything to demonize "sprawl", which they apparently consider a dirty word.
In any area where snow and ice are rare, such as most of the American south, there is going to be a lot of disruption when those conditions develop. The reason is simple: Where snow and ice are rare, the locality is not equipped to cope with same! It's fascinating how the anti-car fanatics seize on anything and everything to demonize "sprawl", which they apparently consider a dirty word.
I am pro- choice. And pro- options. ATL developed in a way that for much of the metro area the only choice is to drive everywhere.
That's terrible
Let use not forget ATL is the place where a drunk driver killed a kid who was crossing the street and the mother was jailed. She crossed "illegally" because the nearest crosswalk was a half a mile away from the bus stop, and all of the development was across the street from said bus stop.
Was the issue the snow or the ice? Ice is a completely different animal which northern claim ages are not as familiar. Why did everyone leave work early at the same time? PPP
Some were trying to pick up their kids from schools while others panic. This would of been an issue in regular conditions.
I am pro- choice. And pro- options. ATL developed in a way that for much of the metro area the only choice is to drive everywhere.
That's terrible
Let use not forget ATL is the place where a drunk driver killed a kid who was crossing the street and the mother was jailed. She crossed "illegally" because the nearest crosswalk was a half a mile away from the bus stop, and all of the development was across the street from said bus stop.
Sad, but it's the parent's responsibility to cross safely. I've come damned close to running over zombie pedestrians who hop off the bus and immediately, without looking, proceed to walk out in the middle of the road in front of the bus. Jaywalking is illegal for a reason as is drunk as is drunk driving. I don't see any basis for saying the driver was drunk, which doesn't matter. He plead guilty to felony hit and run.
Not that long ago there was a driver who decided to kill herself and the four? kids in the car by driving in front of a train in Sacramento. Now, no one was left to throw the book at it in that case. I also don't exactly get why they threw the book in the Atlanta situation either. The prosecution has wide latitude in when to seek convictions for criminal conduct or not. There's not really any question that what Nelson did was illegal but it's an odd one to choose to prosecute.
The problem in Atlanta was that almost every school, business and governmental office closed at the same time - 12:00 to 1:00 pm putting every driver on the roads at the same time. The normal afternoon commute of 4 - 7pm was condensed, roads were icy, visibility was impacted and parents were anxious to get home to their children.
This time-lapse traffic map of Atlanta on Tuesday says it all. Keep an eye on the time in the upper right corner: AJC Videos and Photos | www.ajc.com
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How about a little common sense here?
