"The Stitch" - Plan to Cap the Connector Moves Forward (shops, train)

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by MattCW

Sounds like a plan. We'll build an inner perimeter on top of the beltline and remove the connector entirely.

I thought you wanted the Beltline bulldozed to put freight trains back through those areas, I don't think there will be room for a highway there too.

But no, I don't think there should have been any expressways built inside of 285.

[LTCM]

Being a transportation hub made Atlanta what it is. Rail to highway to airport. You cannot complain about the bad effects while enjoying the good.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by jsvh

I thought you wanted the Beltline bulldozed to put freight trains back through those areas, I don't think there will be room for a highway there too.

But no, I don't think there should have been any expressways built inside of 285.

No, not freight trains, where on Earth did you get that kind of idea from?

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Downtown would be much stronger if it didn't have highways cutting it up. Now, many of the suburbs may have struggled without good connectivity to downtown and you could make the case that the metro as a whole would have suffered if our suburban development went to other cities (instead of into the core), but no, downtown would have been much better off without highways slicing it up. Just look at the downtown of every other major city without highways slicing through it: London, Vancouver, Paris, Amsterdam... Strong downtowns.

Tokyo has lots of freeways running through it, and they all connected to one central connector loop that circles around Downtown. However, most freeways there are just two lanes in each direction, and are stacked as elevated viaducts or are through underground tunnels.

Atlanta's freeways doesn't actually run "through" Downtown. The Connector skirts the edge of it and then curves between Downtown and Midtown.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by MattCW

No, not freight trains, where on Earth did you get that kind of idea from?

I'm sorry, were you just going to limit it to passenger heavy rail trains?

//www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...l#post37277410

[primaltech]

Matt wants to use the eastside Beltline corridor as the approach to Downtown for commuter rail trains coming from Gwinnett. In order to avoid the busy and freight-heavy westside approach, I guess. And he has said that it wouldn't replace or preclude the light rail or the pedestrian usage. If I'm remembering correctly.

I'm doubtful that that would happen though, because of the inevitably high levels of NIMBY pushback that you'd get from those neighborhoods and from the city in general.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by SEAandATL

Tokyo has lots of freeways running through it, and they all connected to one central connector loop that circles around Downtown. However, most freeways there are just two lanes in each direction, and are stacked as elevated viaducts or are through underground tunnels.

Atlanta's freeways doesn't actually run "through" Downtown. The Connector skirts the edge of it and then curves between Downtown and Midtown.

The Downtown Connector was run right thru Sweet Auburn, separating the AA business district from Downtown.

[cqholt]

Central Atlanta Progress, Inc. (CAP) and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) are seeking statements of qualifications from well-qualified individuals or firms specializing in pre-development management services for commercial real estate development and public infrastructure projects to support ADID’s implementation of the proposed Stitch highway cap in Downtown Atlanta.

Request for Qualifications | Pre-Development Management Services - The Stitch: Capping the I-75/I-85 Connector | Downtown Atlanta

[primaltech]

I think it would be really cool to have an Emory Square station (renamed Civic Center), and then have an infill Tech Square station, built under the Biltmore. But I guess that's highly unlikely.

Another thought: they should have a direct express shuttle bus that just goes back and forth all day between Emory Square and Emory University, with no other stops.

Regardless, I really hope the Stitch happens. That ugly freeway through the middle of the city needs to get hidden as much as possible.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by primaltech

an infill Tech Square station, built under the Biltmore.

The northern entrance to the North Avenue station is only about 800 feet from the Biltmore, which is barely longer than a train length.