What if Atlanta was near the ocean (Savannah, Stone Mountain: centers, rail)

[plessthanpointohfive]

Sorry, my deleted post had to do with the floating city. I love that idea...but it looks like Manhattan!

Also, just FYI, Lousiana's port status is what it is due to the fact that the port of New Orleans was settled early AND the Mississippi River is our largest river. It's totally makes sense that the mouth of the biggest river in the US, that of the Missouri/Mississippi River complex, would mean that it's THE biggest port in the US.

So, dont' try to compare Georgia to Louisiana when it comes to ports...

[RandyWatson13]

I would love it. I really wish there was a water feature here.

[Saintmarks]

Atlanta by the Sea, what a thought. This is why I am pulling for global warming and not paying heed to my carbon footprint. When the polar ice caps melt, will inherit seaside property in Meriwether County.

[DTL3000]

It would be a hell of a lot more conducive to surfing, which I have always wanted to take up. The Euclid Avenue Yacht Club might actually be a real Yacht Club.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

Except that the Port of New Orleans is the 5th largest port in the US.

Isn't Savannah larger now? I thought it was #4.

The data on Wikipedia is somewhat out of date (2004), and it still shows the Twin Ports of Duluth MN and Superior WI as being larger than Savannah.

That is no longer true, and I was politely corrected in the relatively long and interesting Minnesota versus Georgia thread on C-D's City versus City forum:

//www.city-data.com/forum/15813771-post887.html

[testa50]

Whenever we're talking about ports, there are a number of different ways to measure. Tonnage is only one.

Value of goods coming over the wharf is a crucial measure. Expensive goods tend to require expensive distribution systems and more labor to handle. And they bring more revenue per unit of weight to the ports.

[cabasse]

ports on the gulf tend to take in huge amounts of tonnage but most of it is raw materials, especially crude oil/chemicals.

savannah's port is the 4th busiest container port.

oh and plessthanpointohfive - it's atlanta in a futurama episode. (lost city of atlanta)

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by RandyWatson13

I would love it. I really wish there was a water feature here.

We came close. About 20 years ago there was talk of building a series of locks on the Chattahoochee to make it navigable all the way to Atlanta. The hope was to create a "Port of Atlanta" and give us another dimension of commerce, barge traffic. The Chattahoochee is navigable to Columbus but it's not used much as a transportation route today.

Conceivably, we could dam the Chattahoochee to create Lake Atlanta as was done 60 years ago to make Lake Lanier. But it would be tough politically, environmentally and practically. Back then less fighting over water with Alabama and Florida, fewer people to displace, and no EPA!

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

Why is Atlanta the logistics hub that it is? Proximity to Savannah's port. Why is Savannah's port 4th-busiest in the nation and fastest growing on the Eastern Seaboard? Proximity to Atlanta's distribution network. The two are unilaterallly mutual. Other than not having a "beach" (a questionable asset to some) Atlanta's not being on an ocean has zero relevance.

Atlanta's hub status is being at the intersection of rail lines and later interstates. Somewhat arbitrary rather than an inherit advantage. I don't know if Atlanta's location is ideal for an air hub but probably good. Delta wanted to put its hub in Birmingham but B'ham dropped the ball and Atlanta got it. From there it's sort of success breeding success.

Savannah is 250 miles away and while a port for a long time, Georgia recently took serious steps to significantly improve Savannah's port. I'm sure Atlanta is part of it but Savannah has its own collection of distribution centers.

[Info Tracker]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

But it is interesting in a way that Atlanta has done so well. Most cities are located next to large bodies of navigable waters or navigable rivers.

Most of the cities along the I-85 corridor have developed this way with no nearby navigable waterways. i.e. Greenville, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Raleigh they all have that in common.

Look at it this way! Which Ocean.

Indian Ocean = Third World Country
Arctic = frozen wasteland
Pacific = ?
the more logical by name association
Atlantic = Chicago do to the amount of rail, interstate traffic "cargo" and the busy airport is what Atlanta would most likely be today. Thats only assuming Atlanta has the same infrastructure it has today if not it would be New Orleans.