Atlanta - Los Angeles square mileage comparison (Sandy Springs, Roswell: how much, living in)

[netdragon]

I created an overlay of metro LA and metro Atlanta to show size comparisons. Cities that are white text are metro Atlanta and Cities that are black text are metro LA. Orange highways are LA and blue highways are Atlanta.

Some notables. If LA downtown is superimposed over Brookhaven, then Smyrna is approximately over the Hollywood hills, Kennesaw is over San Fernando, Sandy Springs is approximately at Pasadena, Stockbridge is approximately at Long Beach.

Large chunks of metro ATL are either over the ocean (SW) or the mountains to the North of LA, such as Lawrenceville, Roswell, Alpharetta, etc.

[netdragon]

Another of Phili and another of Boston.

[WestCobb]

That was really interesting. Thanks.

[netdragon]

The one thing I realize from looking at these maps is that if metro Atlanta begins to encourage more development within neighboring counties, the sprawl problem isn't really that bad.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by netdragon

The one thing I realize from looking at these maps is that if metro Atlanta begins to encourage more development within neighboring counties, the sprawl problem isn't really that bad.

I agree.

[atlantagreg30127]

Nice maps and useful for a reference.

If you get bored, you should do two more - of Atlanta compared to Dallas, and one of Atlanta compared to Houston - these two cities are used to compare with Atlanta quite a bit in the forums as well.

So I guess if I were in the same position in L.A. I'd be living in Topang State Park. LOL

[darkone]

Very interesting - Atlanta really isn't THAT spread out when you compare it to Boston and Philly. LA of course is huge and dense over a much larger area than any of these three metro areas. Atlanta feels like an emptied-out version of LA without the mountains or ocean, in fact.

[WestCobb]

Originally Posted by netdragon

The one thing I realize from looking at these maps is that if metro Atlanta begins to encourage more development within neighboring counties, the sprawl problem isn't really that bad.

I'm from L.A., and I drew a different conclusion ... I'm like whoa... it's already sprawling here like there. Yikes. This is the 21st century. Atlanta can't afford to develop like L.A. Gas is already headed toward $4 a gallon. The region should get serious about rail.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

If you get bored, you should do two more - of Atlanta compared to Dallas, and one of Atlanta compared to Houston - these two cities are used to compare with Atlanta quite a bit in the forums as well.

A present...

Houston's dual beltways makes metro Atlanta look pretty small (according to Wikipedia, metro Houston is 2,000 sq mi larger). Dallas's grid underlies the fact that Atlanta is in need of suburban rail with good transit parking.

[Galounger]

Houstons' map really points out to me just how much traffic could be relieved in Atlanta by an outer loop. If Atlanta had an outer loop like Houston's, South bound thru traffic (especially truck traffic) on I-75 could jump off at Acworth and rejoin I-75 off the beltway at Mc Donough. Think how much that could reduce southbound rush hour traffic through Cobb county (and I-285 traffic) for instance.