YOUR OPINION: What does Atlanta need right now? (Kennesaw, Perry: neighborhoods, cost)

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by Ray Ciss

Better connectivity between MARTA and other transit like the BeltLine to ensure smoother integration the city of Atlanta's citizens and visitors transit needs.

More Transit Oriented Development (TOD) projects ,particularly at the 5 Points, Garnet Street and West End MARTA stations.

Plan the redevelopment of Underground Atlanta in conjunction with the redevelopment of the 5 Points MARTA station as well as the Multi -modal Transit Center as one project in anticipation of Atlanta being awarded the 2019 Super Bowl.

MARTA owns little to no land around those stations except the parking at West End. Private TOD has always been encouraged, but the owners have yo be willing to fund it.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by JoeP

Rail is heavy, light or commuter. What is "light metro?"

Heavy rail is not something that is expanding much these days. For a short distance, light rail would likely be the choice.

Look it up.

[Tryska]

Originally Posted by ATLJR

You mean the city and not the metro area?

The city, I think a few reasonable things that would go a long way would be the removal of the owners of the Pine Street Shelter, the removal of the Section 8 on Boulevard, stricter enforcement on panhandling laws coupled with a serious dedication to treating mental health among the homeless and petty criminals (San Antonio is an easy model to mimic: San Antonio Police Have Radical Approach To Mental Illness: Treat It | Kaiser Health News) These are all highly doable things that would cost little in short and long term. The removal of Pine Street and Bedford Pine would allow neighborhoods to integrate that currently feel separated. The latter would benefit the homeless population, reduce stress on the police force to better focus their time, and with the removal of aggressive panhandling, provide a more attractive city that would be more appealing to tourist, locals, and potential residents alike.

In regards to more costly, but what I believe to be high rewarding ventures, I would say the completion of the Beltline along with transit with it's own right of way, an east / west line (or maybe 2) again with it's own right of way, either light or heavy rail in the Clifton Corridor that has it's own right away, and if not light rail on the entirety of Peachtree St. up to Buckhead of Brookhaven, at the very least, something starting near the Arts Center and taking you along the stretch of Peachtree that has a lot to offer, but little in the way of transit (buses not withstanding).

Other random things - Atlanta needs more police to continue to make the city feel safer, maybe new policies to better integrate the current force into their communities. The redevelopment of south Downtown, the redevelopment of Turner Field, and a complete rehaul of the Gulch which is such a waste of space.

These are great ideas, but in my opinion, Police aren't necessarily the weakness. They catch and send criminals to court everyday. The courts then slap repeat offenders on the wrist with 3 and 6 month sentences and they are back out again. Our weak link is the Fulton County Court System.

[0nyxStation]

Originally Posted by Plokivos

Tell me what Atlanta need right now.

Go ahead, it's a free ("") forum.

Just don't say more Coca Cola or 2x4's from Home Depot.

Marta at my door steps in Cobb County...... it would raise QOL

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by JoeP

Rail is heavy, light or commuter. What is "light metro?"

Heavy rail is not something that is expanding much these days. For a short distance, light rail would likely be the choice.

OK--I'll be nice:

Medium-capacity rail transport system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Basically, a faster light rail (between light rail and heavy rail)...always with its own right-of-way. It functions like heavy rail, really. But cheaper/easier to implement (I think...for the most part).

A great example is Boston's Green Line "D" Branch:

Green Line "D" Branch - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[DONNIEANDDONNA417]

all the transplants to go home

[ATUMRE75]

Casinos!

[OneTrickNet]

Properly timed traffic lights.

That and what everyone else said. Except for the gospel radio station (hopefully that was a joke).

[flamadiddle]

Good suggestions... I'd add that a super tall iconic skyscraper would do wonders for the city's image/skyline.

[J2201987]

Originally Posted by ATUMRE75

Casinos!

Originally Posted by DONNIEANDDONNA417

all the transplants to go home