Interesting Article: Atlanta's Traffic & Growth... (Alpharetta, Dunwoody: home, employment, maintenance)

[atlantagreg30127]

With the regular questions asked about the traffic in Atlanta, I thought it would be worthwhile to post an article I found online this week that covers the topic of the worst traffic in the U.S.

Here are a couple of blurbs from the article below, followed by a link (as long as it works) to the full article...

"The Los Angeles metro area had the worst congestion, delaying drivers an average of 72 hours a year. It was followed by Atlanta, San Francisco, Washington and Dallas. ..... Atlanta has the second worst congestion in the country, though there has been some improvement, according to the study. In 2005, Atlanta drivers wasted an average of 60 hours a year in traffic delays - down from 70 hours a decade earlier. ..... But the region's population is growing so fast that planners are having a tough time dealing with the increase in automobiles, said Jane Hayse, chief of transportation planning for the Atlanta Regional Commission. ..... "With the pace of growth that we have here, it's pretty difficult to reduce congestion," Hayse said. "Trying to keep it at today's level is really our goal."

The Atlanta metropolitan area added 890,000 people from 2000 to 2006, more than any other metro area in the country, according to census estimates. There were 5.1 million people in the Atlanta area in 2006."

Full Article: Stuck in Traffic? You're Not Alone - AOL News (broken link)

[spacelord75]

My three suggestions for ways to make Atlanta traffic better are:

1) Give companies an incentive for % of employee time spent from home - I know tons of people who could do just as good a job if they only came into the office 2-3 times a week and worked from home the rest of the time. This alone would greatly reduce the # of cars on any given day.

2) Double Decker the Connector! This would be a crazy project which would totally foul up traffic in the short term and cost tons of money, but just imagine the end result if you could all of a sudden DOUBLE the volume of road space on the connector (which was, by far, the worst planning idea EVER). It is set deep enough in the ground, that I think this would be a feasible project, physically. Have the bottom layer go southbound and the top layer go northbound.

3) Already discussed every 5-10 years, but add a northern loop connecting the new northern office space hubs and suburbs - Suwanee, Alpharetta, East Cobb, Woodstock.

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by spacelord75

My three suggestions for ways to make Atlanta traffic better are:

1) Give companies an incentive for % of employee time spent from home - I know tons of people who could do just as good a job if they only came into the office 2-3 times a week and worked from home the rest of the time. This alone would greatly reduce the # of cars on any given day.

2) Double Decker the Connector! This would be a crazy project which would totally foul up traffic in the short term and cost tons of money, but just imagine the end result if you could all of a sudden DOUBLE the volume of road space on the connector (which was, by far, the worst planning idea EVER). It is set deep enough in the ground, that I think this would be a feasible project, physically. Have the bottom layer go southbound and the top layer go northbound.

3) Already discussed every 5-10 years, but add a northern loop connecting the new northern office space hubs and suburbs - Suwanee, Alpharetta, East Cobb, Woodstock.

Do you think it would be better to have the top layer serve as an express route instead? i.e. let it be used by people who are completely bypassing the downtown area, or at least cut down the number of exits on the top layer to only 2 (1 for downtown and 1 for midtown).

[spacelord75]

I had not really thought about those ideas - just the simple premise of double-decker roadways. I guess that would work, although it might be too complex for the generic car-driver in Atlanta and I could see people flipping out when they get to decision time as to which road to get on (more likely out of towners), or a total traffic snarl at whatever poor location gets the opportunity to be the one or two exits in town (ie, everyone gets off there and tries to take surface roads to their destination).

Either way, I think this option is something that the city will absolutely HAVE TO look at in the next 5-10 years. It's unreal how bad traffic is, especially southbound at the merge starting anytime after 2pm! The current configuration is simply not built to handle how many people are projected to live here in the coming years.

[Parsec]

At least new employment centers are popping up in the suburbs faster than they are in downtown Atlanta. I assume that should ease congestion ITP, but the 4-lane highways in the outer suburbs (as opposed to what, 12 lanes on the connector?) just can't handle the increased traffic. I think your #3 plan is the best plan, and the most feasible one. Much cheaper to build a regular interstate than a raised freeway!

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by spacelord75

Double Decker the Connector! This would be a crazy project which would totally foul up traffic in the short term and cost tons of money, but just imagine the end result if you could all of a sudden DOUBLE the volume of road space on the connector (which was, by far, the worst planning idea EVER). It is set deep enough in the ground, that I think this would be a feasible project, physically. Have the bottom layer go southbound and the top layer go northbound.

spacelord,

I usually agree with you, but in this case--hell no! The Connector runs above street level south of Freedom Parkway. We have to say enough is enough.

Two things need to happen first before we can address traffic issues:

1. The state gas tax, which is one of the lowest if not the lowest gas taxes in the country, needs to be significantly raised. We're not a small town in a podunk state anymore--it's time to start playing with the big boys.
2. The state legislature and the governor need to repeal the provision in the state constitution that permits the gas tax to be used only for the building and maintenance of roads and bridges. This has been the achilles heel in public transport funding in Georgia and will continue to be should the state continue to fail in comprehending why they should invest in the infrastructure of their state's primary economic generator.

[spacelord75]

I 100% agree that it would not be great adding a layer to the connector, but unfortunately I do not know what other options would ease that corridor. Let me step back by saying that for the past 5-7 years I was able to position my residence in a manner that allowed me to never see the connector during rush hour. Now that I recently moved, I commute into Midtown from Dunwoody, so have to take 400. All I can say is it is mind-blowing to see the other side of the freeway as I head north....it is a parking lot every day! Northbound can be bad, but I was able to swing a 7:30-3:30 workday with my work, so I generally avoid it.

To be honest, I think the connector was just a flawed concept to begin with, so now what? I mean, theoretically the gas taxes you mention might dissuade drivers from driving (which I think was your remedy), but the infrastructure is just flawed and I can't see it having that big of an impact. What would be more effective, might be the idea of compensating companies for % of workers doing work from home programs. Just think if 1/4 of all "office job" Atlanta area employees were given the option to work from home just 2 days a week.

[dncngrl1964]

Originally Posted by spacelord75

My three suggestions for ways to make Atlanta traffic better are:

1) Give companies an incentive for % of employee time spent from home - I know tons of people who could do just as good a job if they only came into the office 2-3 times a week and worked from home the rest of the time. This alone would greatly reduce the # of cars on any given day.

2) Double Decker the Connector! This would be a crazy project which would totally foul up traffic in the short term and cost tons of money, but just imagine the end result if you could all of a sudden DOUBLE the volume of road space on the connector (which was, by far, the worst planning idea EVER). It is set deep enough in the ground, that I think this would be a feasible project, physically. Have the bottom layer go southbound and the top layer go northbound.

3) Already discussed every 5-10 years, but add a northern loop connecting the new northern office space hubs and suburbs - Suwanee, Alpharetta, East Cobb, Woodstock.

or at least change the speed limit on that stretch of 92 from 45 to 55

[JPD]

Originally Posted by spacelord75

Now that I recently moved, I commute into Midtown from Dunwoody, so have to take 400.

No, you don't. You could ride Marta.

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by spacelord75

I mean, theoretically the gas taxes you mention might dissuade drivers from driving (which I think was your remedy), but the infrastructure is just flawed and I can't see it having that big of an impact. What would be more effective, might be the idea of compensating companies for % of workers doing work from home programs. Just think if 1/4 of all "office job" Atlanta area employees were given the option to work from home just 2 days a week.

My suggestion of increased gas taxes wasn't to dissuage drivers, but rather for additional tax revenue to be used for other forms of transportation, such as commuter rail, BRT, expanded MARTA, etc. Also, for building more roads and enhancing existing ones. After a while, you can only do so much in regards to widening the Connector and area freeways.