Atlanta's size compared to Houston (Fayetteville, Dallas: 2013, activity, suburb)

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

One thing about my 10 years in North Texas, Georgia has never looked more beautiful in all my life!

That said, once I got over my pouting about being here, there are nice areas for sure. Have had to take the stance that different doesn't mean worse, just have to appreciate what is and bloom where you are planted. Nothing will ever be like home, but if you put on your happy attitude hat, you can appreciate any place.

Your post made me smile just now! Thanks!

[sedimenjerry]

I'm in my 4th year at Texas A&M just northwest of Houston. I've spent a considerable amount of time driving around the Houston metro and grew up in the Atlanta area. To me part of why Houston feels larger (besides the obvious fact that it is larger population wise) is the amount of highways compared to Atlanta. Houston has 2 loops instead of just 1 (and is adding a third) and has many toll roads to supplement the freeways. It is very flat and doesn't have near the amount of trees in many areas. Even in the piney areas the forest just does not seem as dense. This allows you to see all the development and sprawl especially from tall highway interchange bridges. In Atlanta it's hard to see all the development.

I've actually wondered before how the two cities match up as far as distances. To the north of Houston is Conroe which used to be a city way out there but now sprawl has caught up to it and for many is basically the last suburb on I 45. It's just under 40 miles from the main exit to downtown Houston. By comparison, the Hamilton Mill exit (120) on 85 is about 39 miles from downtown Atlanta, Lanier Islands Pkwy on 985 is about 40 miles, the GA 20 exit for Cumming off 400 is 37.5 miles, Canton is about 40 miles, highway 113 for Cartersville is 41 miles. These are driving miles so every turn of the highway will add mileage but it does reflect how far someone has to drive. The Katy area west of Houston is one of the hottest areas. It is very well developed along I 10 until the actual town about 29 miles out. Just miles west of there you'll see nothing but flat empty land.

So as far as distances go from outer suburbs to downtown, Atlanta compares very well and even beats Houston depending on your criteria. I think Houston is better filled in closer to downtown. The topography allows for it with the exception of the port areas in the east. Also, Atlanta's development has largely been focused in the northern half of the metro region. Houston seems to be a little more balanced. There are certainly preferred corridors but are more evenly spread in each direction (with to the east maybe the only exception).

[ATLHRLGUY]

Originally Posted by sedimenjerry

I'm in my 4th year at Texas A&M just northwest of Houston. I've spent a considerable amount of time driving around the Houston metro and grew up in the Atlanta area. To me part of why Houston feels larger (besides the obvious fact that it is larger population wise) is the amount of highways compared to Atlanta. Houston has 2 loops instead of just 1 (and is adding a third) and has many toll roads to supplement the freeways. It is very flat and doesn't have near the amount of trees in many areas. Even in the piney areas the forest just does not seem as dense. This allows you to see all the development and sprawl especially from tall highway interchange bridges. In Atlanta it's hard to see all the development.

So as far as distances go from outer suburbs to downtown, Atlanta compares very well and even beats Houston depending on your criteria. I think Houston is better filled in closer to downtown. The topography allows for it with the exception of the port areas in the east. Also, Atlanta's development has largely been focused in the northern half of the metro region. Houston seems to be a little more balanced. There are certainly preferred corridors but are more evenly spread in each direction (with to the east maybe the only exception).

LOL, I was just about to write a similar post. Although I'm a Dallas native, I've been to Houston more times than I can count and completely agree with you, spot on.

[gerrythesnake]

Let's stop the battling. We are all southerners

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by gerrythesnake

Let's stop the battling. We are all southerners

3-2-1 until a Houstonian comes on here and says "Texas isn't Southern!"

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

3-2-1 until a Houstonian comes on here and says "Texas isn't Southern!"

I'll say it...

Texas ain't Southern. It is Texas.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by sedimenjerry

I'm in my 4th year at Texas A&M just northwest of Houston. I've spent a considerable amount of time driving around the Houston metro and grew up in the Atlanta area. To me part of why Houston feels larger (besides the obvious fact that it is larger population wise) is the amount of highways compared to Atlanta. Houston has 2 loops instead of just 1 (and is adding a third) and has many toll roads to supplement the freeways. It is very flat and doesn't have near the amount of trees in many areas. Even in the piney areas the forest just does not seem as dense. This allows you to see all the development and sprawl especially from tall highway interchange bridges. In Atlanta it's hard to see all the development.

I've actually wondered before how the two cities match up as far as distances. To the north of Houston is Conroe which used to be a city way out there but now sprawl has caught up to it and for many is basically the last suburb on I 45. It's just under 40 miles from the main exit to downtown Houston. By comparison, the Hamilton Mill exit (120) on 85 is about 39 miles from downtown Atlanta, Lanier Islands Pkwy on 985 is about 40 miles, the GA 20 exit for Cumming off 400 is 37.5 miles, Canton is about 40 miles, highway 113 for Cartersville is 41 miles. These are driving miles so every turn of the highway will add mileage but it does reflect how far someone has to drive. The Katy area west of Houston is one of the hottest areas. It is very well developed along I 10 until the actual town about 29 miles out. Just miles west of there you'll see nothing but flat empty land.

So as far as distances go from outer suburbs to downtown, Atlanta compares very well and even beats Houston depending on your criteria. I think Houston is better filled in closer to downtown. The topography allows for it with the exception of the port areas in the east. Also, Atlanta's development has largely been focused in the northern half of the metro region. Houston seems to be a little more balanced. There are certainly preferred corridors but are more evenly spread in each direction (with to the east maybe the only exception).

Good comparison!

I've often pondered the fact that even along Metro Atlanta's most developed interstate corridors, there's an impression that things aren't as built up as they are simply because of topography. This is especially true up both I-75 through Cobb County, and I-85 through Gwinnett County. As those of us who know the region well are fully aware, development along both of those corridors is just massive for miles in either direction. Especially along the I-85 corridor in Gwinnett; those who don't know better might be under the impression that things really thin out after the 316 split past Gwinnett Place. But again, as anybody who knows Gwinnett knows, development from the the Sugarloaf area up to Mall of Georgia is just ridiculous. And it really doesn't stop there, but continues another 23 miles all the way to Gainesville.

The I-20 corridor out to Conyers is similar, and the I-75 South corridor to McDonough is quickly taking on the same in-fill development.

For better or worse, Metro Atlanta's hills and trees can give a false impression about how "urban" it really is. The mere presence of trees says "country" to people from places that don't have so many of them, like out west, which is totally ridiculous.

[ThreeSides]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

3-2-1 until a Houstonian comes on here and says "Texas isn't Southern!"

//www.city-data.com/forum/gener...th-help-2.html

Neither is Atlanta, according to you.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

Good comparison!

I've often pondered the fact that even along Metro Atlanta's most developed interstate corridors, there's an impression that things aren't as built up as they are simply because of topography. This is especially true up both I-75 through Cobb County, and I-85 through Gwinnett County. As those of us who know the region well are fully aware, development along both of those corridors is just massive for miles in either direction. Especially along the I-85 corridor in Gwinnett; those who don't know better might be under the impression that things really thin out after the 316 split past Gwinnett Place. But again, as anybody who knows Gwinnett knows, development from the the Sugarloaf area up to Mall of Georgia is just ridiculous. And it really doesn't stop there, but continues another 23 miles all the way to Gainesville.

The I-20 corridor out to Conyers is similar, and the I-75 South corridor to McDonough is quickly taking on the same in-fill development.

For better or worse, Metro Atlanta's hills and trees can give a false impression about how "urban" it really is. The mere presence of trees says "country" to people from places that don't have so many of them, like out west, which is totally ridiculous.

You simply can't see what's going on from the freeway. Past the Mall of Georgia on 85 or 985 it's just 2 lanes in the middle of forest. Easy to think you're in the middle of nowhere but it's just not the case. You have to look at aerial imagery to really see all the development, commercial and residential.

I've used mapfrappe.com before to try to compare different areas. If you haven't used it before try it out. You can do point to point lines on one map and it will project it on the other map. I've tried outlines of areas to compare size and also have traced the highways out to get an idea of where Houston's loops are relative to 285. It can be rather painstaking but the possibilities are endless. You just have to be consistent with your definition of metro area.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by sedimenjerry

You simply can't see what's going on from the freeway. Past the Mall of Georgia on 85 or 985 it's just 2 lanes in the middle of forest. Easy to think you're in the middle of nowhere but it's just not the case. You have to look at aerial imagery to really see all the development, commercial and residential.

I've used mapfrappe.com before to try to compare different areas. If you haven't used it before try it out. You can do point to point lines on one map and it will project it on the other map. I've tried outlines of areas to compare size and also have traced the highways out to get an idea of where Houston's loops are relative to 285. It can be rather painstaking but the possibilities are endless. You just have to be consistent with your definition of metro area.

In addition to the appearance, Atlanta is much less dense than Houston.

In this one bloggers definitions, Atlanta is last among the 34 areas he looked at and half as dense as Houston.
Density calculations for U.S. urbanized areas, weighted by census tract - Austin Contrarian

Atlanta has vast undeveloped areas fairly close in and huge industrial parks. Development really is very spotty. Its scary when you think about how bad traffic is now with all of that land under or undeveloped.