Citizens of Cobb County: Your reaction to the Braves move (Atlanta: construction, moving)

[gerrythesnake]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Some are projects already underway or on the drawing board. I would imagine that some of the county investment is in the form of traffic and infrastructure improvements. The proposed site is literally a stone's throw from entrance/exit ramps for I-285 and I-75.

Can it be any more of a "disaster" than what happens getting to/from Turner Field?

Yes. 75 in Cobb Co has less lanes and more traffic

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by Gulch

Need a lot more than tweaks to avoid a traffic disaster in the area. Also, who's paying for said tweaks? The Braves?

Also, let's be real. The only time that is even in question is a weekday evening game. With a 7:30pm start time, fans will begin to arrive between 5:30pm. When the game is over after 10pm...no problem. On the weekend...no problem.

So the challenge is to ensure that exiting traffic for the stadium is able to keep moving and not contribute to congestion overall. That can be done with various solutions, up to and including officers directing traffic.

I find it interesting that people think a stadium in a downtown area is fine and doesn't contribute to congestion, but one at the convergence of two huge arteries, feet from exit/entrance ramps, and off a major surface road is a problem.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by gerrythesnake

Yes. 75 in Cobb Co has less lanes and more traffic

Oh really? Been here lately? Also, you have people who will be on I-285 which is actually the closest highway, as well as Cobb Pkwy itself.

Arriving at Turner Field, there is one way to get in/out and even arriving early means traffic navigating a narrow street to park. When you leave and need to head northbound, there is no simple egress to the highway. You have to take surface streets with poor signage or get on southbound and make a U-turn.

I'm not saying that any location is perfect, but anyone who has been to a Patriots game in Foxboro, MA has seen what an efficient operation can do to get people in/out, and Gillette Stadium is off Route 1 and the interstate (I-95) is much smaller than anything here in Atlanta. My point is that with well designed parking and things like timed lights that can be controlled, and humans directing at peaks, you can very easily make the experience a good one, especially at non-peak times, which would be all weekend games and at the end of weekday evening games.

Just as we heard the doom and gloom from proponents of TSPLOST 18 months ago, and that the world as we knew it would end, here we go again. They decry Cobb spending money on something that can be quantified in terms of a return on investment, but they were all for spending $800 million or more on transit to nowhere with questionable ridership, funded by a penny tax on ALL Cobb residents.

[gerrythesnake]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Oh really? Been here lately? Also, you have people who will be on I-285 which is actually the closest highway, as well as Cobb Pkwy itself.

Arriving at Turner Field, there is one way to get in/out and even arriving early means traffic navigating a narrow street to park. When you leave and need to head northbound, there is no simple egress to the highway. You have to take surface streets with poor signage or get on southbound and make a U-turn.

I'm not saying that any location is perfect, but anyone who has been to a Patriots game in Foxboro, MA has seen what an efficient operation can do to get people in/out, and Gillette Stadium is off Route 1 and the interstate (I-95) is much smaller than anything here in Atlanta. My point is that with well designed parking and things like timed lights that can be controlled, and humans directing at peaks, you can very easily make the experience a good one, especially at non-peak times, which would be all weekend games and at the end of weekday evening games.

Just as we heard the doom and gloom from proponents of TSPLOST 18 months ago, and that the world as we knew it would end, here we go again. They decry Cobb spending money on something that can be quantified in terms of a return on investment, but they were all for spending $800 million or more on transit to nowhere with questionable ridership, funded by a penny tax on ALL Cobb residents.

I live 3 miles from the new stadium in Cobb. Check the post from the GDOT regarding the number of cars that travel each point during afternoon rush hour

[neil0311]

Here is the location in question. The ramps are literally feet from the proposed site and I bet that additional direct access to the highways could be built.

Bing Maps - Driving Directions, Traffic and Road Conditions

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by gerrythesnake

Check the post from the GDOT regarding the number of cars that travel each point during afternoon rush hour

Have a link to it?

Don't lose sight that many people will be arriving at the end of rush hour (after 6:30pm) or on weekends. There should be no issue when the game lets out after 10pm.

[gerrythesnake]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Oh really? Been here lately? Also, you have people who will be on I-285 which is actually the closest highway, as well as Cobb Pkwy itself.

Arriving at Turner Field, there is one way to get in/out and even arriving early means traffic navigating a narrow street to park. When you leave and need to head northbound, there is no simple egress to the highway. You have to take surface streets with poor signage or get on southbound and make a U-turn.

I'm not saying that any location is perfect, but anyone who has been to a Patriots game in Foxboro, MA has seen what an efficient operation can do to get people in/out, and Gillette Stadium is off Route 1 and the interstate (I-95) is much smaller than anything here in Atlanta. My point is that with well designed parking and things like timed lights that can be controlled, and humans directing at peaks, you can very easily make the experience a good one, especially at non-peak times, which would be all weekend games and at the end of weekday evening games.

Just as we heard the doom and gloom from proponents of TSPLOST 18 months ago, and that the world as we knew it would end, here we go again. They decry Cobb spending money on something that can be quantified in terms of a return on investment, but they were all for spending $800 million or more on transit to nowhere with questionable ridership, funded by a penny tax on ALL Cobb residents.

Interstate 75 in the area of the stadium site already carries more traffic than the Downtown Connector during the afternoon rush, the period leading up to the start of most Braves home games, according to figures compiled by the Georgia Department of Transportation.

For example, the average hourly traffic volume on northbound I-75 between Windy Hill Road and Delk Road in August was 10,236 vehicles during the period covering 2010 through 2013.
Southbound, the same stretch of I-75 carried an average of 8,215 vehicles per hour during the afternoon peak.
The proposed stadium is to be built just south of the I-75/Windy Hill Road interchange.
In comparison, the Connector southbound at the Grady Curve, just north of Turner Field, carried an average hourly volume of 8,664 vehicles during afternoon rush in August of 2010-2013. The Connector northbound at University Avenue, south of the Ted, carried an average hourly volume of 7,907 vehicles during the same period, according to the DOT.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by gerrythesnake

Interstate 75 in the area of the stadium site already carries more traffic than the Downtown Connector during the afternoon rush, the period leading up to the start of most Braves home games, according to figures compiled by the Georgia Department of Transportation.

For example, the average hourly traffic volume on northbound I-75 between Windy Hill Road and Delk Road in August was 10,236 vehicles during the period covering 2010 through 2013.
Southbound, the same stretch of I-75 carried an average of 8,215 vehicles per hour during the afternoon peak.
The proposed stadium is to be built just south of the I-75/Windy Hill Road interchange.
In comparison, the Connector southbound at the Grady Curve, just north of Turner Field, carried an average hourly volume of 8,664 vehicles during afternoon rush in August of 2010-2013. The Connector northbound at University Avenue, south of the Ted, carried an average hourly volume of 7,907 vehicles during the same period, according to the DOT.

You also forget that many people going to games now are already traversing these same highways, and most of the people attending games are coming from the north or northeast. I'm not saying that it will be rainbows and unicorns, but I think the traffic aspect is overblown.

People do not arrive at the same time (unlike when they leave) and they are not coming from the same place or direction. Someone like myself would never even get on the interstate, whereas going to Turner Field would necessitate me taking I-75.

[LynnHarris]

"Two recent public opinion surveys by Landmark Communications and Rosetta Stone Communications reveal that most Cobb County residents approve of the Atlanta Braves move from Downtown Atlanta to Cobb County. Cobb residents support the move by a margin 57 percent to 29 percent..."


Surveys: Cobb residents approve of Braves move - Atlanta INtown Paper

[gerrythesnake]

Originally Posted by LynnHarris

"Two recent public opinion surveys by Landmark Communications and Rosetta Stone Communications reveal that most Cobb County residents approve of the Atlanta Braves move from Downtown Atlanta to Cobb County. Cobb residents support the move by a margin 57 percent to 29 percent..."


Surveys: Cobb residents approve of Braves move - Atlanta INtown Paper

I didn't get a survey