Atlanta back in top 10 (Roswell, Vinings: airport, ferry, estates)

[David1502]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Exactly. That's what I mean. The connections are the important part.

For example, from Vinings to Lenox. West Paces Ferry (with its ONE lane), is literally the one and only single road between them. Either that or a very indirect trip via the congested freeway system. Completely and totally lacking road infrastructure. That is an example of the primary reason why congestion is so bad, here.

Also completely lacking in any passenger train infrastructure is not making the situation any better. But that's not the cause of Atlanta's globally noteworthy congestion problems. It's having no grid (regardless of straight lines).

You need to discover the back route form Vinings to Lenox which is:
1. Northside Pkwy to Left on Mt. Paran Rd.
2. Right on W. Conway Dr.
3. Right on Broadland
4. Right on Northside Dr.
4. Left on Blackland Dr.
5. At the fork in the road, take a right to continue on Blackland
5. Blackland dead ends at Roswell Rd. and if you go straight through the traffic light, you are on Piedmont
6. From Piedmont, Left on the Lenox Rd. Connector which goes over 400 and by Phipps Plaza.


There are numerous back roads throughout Metro Atlanta and this route happens to be one of the most scenic which passes by sdme of Atlanta's most impressive homes and feels like you are in a rural area of estates for a lot of the way.


If there's a will, there's a way to get around the most congested roads.

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by David1502

You need to discover the back route form Vinings to Lenox which is:
1. Northside Pkwy to Left on Mt. Paran Rd.
2. Right on W. Conway Dr.
3. Right on Broadland
4. Right on Northside Dr.
4. Left on Blackland Dr.
5. At the fork in the road, take a right to continue on Blackland
5. Blackland dead ends at Roswell Rd. and if you go straight through the traffic light, you are on Piedmont
6. From Piedmont, Left on the Lenox Rd. Connector which goes over 400 and by Phipps Plaza.


There are numerous back roads throughout Metro Atlanta and this route happens to be one of the most scenic which passes by sdme of Atlanta's most impressive homes and feels like you are in a rural area of estates for a lot of the way.


If there's a will, there's a way to get around the most congested roads.

Yeah, I've done that one a couple times. It wasn't really any faster. Definitely pretty through there, though.

Here's another awkward one that I had to do recently: trying to get to the Concourse towers off Peachtree Dunwoody Rd, from Vinings, via 285. Circa rush hour.

According to GPS, the quickest way is to go all the way to Ashford Dunwoody, then turn around and go back the other way, 285 west to the Peachtree Dunwoody exit.

Madness.

Anyway, I just wish there were more arterials. Yes, there are shortcuts, but particularly through Buckhead it's all one-lane roads that dead end with a stop sign, then you have to make a left, go 10 feet, then make another left onto another country road. And the only other option is 285, often extremely congested.

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by primaltech

We need more roads and streets, to bisect and connect all of our existing roads together. A grid. Both at the city level and metro level.

And we need regional transit obviously, but that won't help with the road congestion. It will just give people another option. Which is good, but we need a lot of attention on both. The road system here is simply terrible, for the size metro we have.

Yeah, I've found the same problem. I used to wonder why everyone was always on the same road and there weren't more back roads. I think when the metro area was being built, they build it not knowing how much the population would increase by (I mean it's increased a ton) and as it increased, they made no changes. I'm not talking about highways but on the main roads, not sure what will be done to alleviate the problem because I see that where there should be back roads, homes are already built.

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by arjay57

One ring to rule them all and in the darkness bind them.

This post really appeals to me and I don't know why.

[DreamerD]

Well I for one am glad that Atlanta is back in the top 10. I hate seeing Atlanta being left out of things. We deserve to get credit for all that we are! Let's make it to number one guys!

[atler8]

Obviously traffic congestion is a terrible problem in Atlanta which I will never seek to minimize. In fact, it is one of the biggest downsides of living in metro Atlanta.
However, this ranking thing that we are into as a society, in particular whenever a "Top 10" ranking can be found as regards a litany of various topics or issues, is a method of catching the eye (aka "clickbait") that works as we scan on through media news feeds. So, with that intent taken into account, the INRIX survey perhaps accomplished that purpose.
Realistically speaking, there are a number of different methodologies & factors in which traffic congestion can be measured as is seen in the INRIX survey itself which was found linked at the AJC yesterday.
Within the survey data chart itself, the last figure lists the specific factor of "Overall 'driving time spent in congestion'". As shown there, Atlanta is nowhere near the top of the rankings.
factor.
Below here find links to the AJC article & also to the study mentioned therein.

How bad is Atlanta traffic? It depends on how you look at it | Spinning our Wheels

INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard

[markjames68]

It shows São Paulo as around 20% worse in terms of hours spent in congestion. I’ve spent time there and it is FAR worse than Atlanta.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Yeah, I've done that one a couple times. It wasn't really any faster. Definitely pretty through there, though.

Here's another awkward one that I had to do recently: trying to get to the Concourse towers off Peachtree Dunwoody Rd, from Vinings, via 285. Circa rush hour.

According to GPS, the quickest way is to go all the way to Ashford Dunwoody, then turn around and go back the other way, 285 west to the Peachtree Dunwoody exit.

Madness.

Anyway, I just wish there were more arterials. Yes, there are shortcuts, but particularly through Buckhead it's all one-lane roads that dead end with a stop sign, then you have to make a left, go 10 feet, then make another left onto another country road. And the only other option is 285, often extremely congested.

And of course all these shortcuts mean more traffic on residential streets, degrading their neighborhood.

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by testa50

Here's a wild, off the wall theory: since we have one of the longest commutes in the world, our commuters tend to spend among the most time in congestion. Shocking result there!

If this is true (and I don't doubt it) then it really does neuter our place in the rankings.

Most of this is congestion by choice

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by primaltech

We need more roads and streets, to bisect and connect all of our existing roads together. A grid. Both at the city level and metro level.

Without tearing down a lot of places, that will be pretty difficult to achieve at this point. And, to me, not having a grid is exactly one of the things that drew me to Atlanta. Perfect grid cities are boring AF.

However, our connected arterial system is balls.

And we need regional transit obviously, but that won't help with the road congestion. It will just give people another option. Which is good, but we need a lot of attention on both. The road system here is simply terrible, for the size metro we have.

I think if we had a decent commuter rail setup with park and ride stations closely mirroring our interstate spoke system, we'd heavily reduce our highway congestion. If I lived in Kennesaw or Newnan and worked in Midtown or Downtown and had a direct train between the two, with a park and ride in Kennesaw and a 5-10 minute walk in town, I'd be on it. And so would thousands of others.

Originally Posted by primaltech

Oh, and to make matters worse, when you finally do get to Peachtree Rd from West Paces, you can't turn onto Peachtree.

This is literally one of the dumbest intersections in the city, and it NEEDS a left turn onto Peachtree, instead of sending you down a block then leading you down a tiny little cross road.

And East Paces Ferry dead ends, it doesn't go across 400 to Lenox. So you have to like try to maneuver indirect side streets, just trying to simply get from one area to another.

Well, it goes into a very nice neighborhood...don't think they want commuter traffic right through. Up Piedmont and over is the way...no indirect side streets. But, I hate that section.

Originally Posted by David1502

You need to discover the back route form Vinings to Lenox which is:
1. Northside Pkwy to Left on Mt. Paran Rd.
2. Right on W. Conway Dr.
3. Right on Broadland
4. Right on Northside Dr.
4. Left on Blackland Dr.
5. At the fork in the road, take a right to continue on Blackland
5. Blackland dead ends at Roswell Rd. and if you go straight through the traffic light, you are on Piedmont
6. From Piedmont, Left on the Lenox Rd. Connector which goes over 400 and by Phipps Plaza.

Yes, that's the way you get around. But it's pretty silly to have no direct route between two nearby major areas of the city, and have to use 8-10 different roads through neighborhoods.

If there's a will, there's a way to get around the most congested roads.

Yep...this is why I often drive through the really nice Mt. Paran/Ridgewood area.

Originally Posted by DreamerD

Yeah, I've found the same problem. I used to wonder why everyone was always on the same road and there weren't more back roads. I think when the metro area was being built, they build it not knowing how much the population would increase by (I mean it's increased a ton) and as it increased, they made no changes. I'm not talking about highways but on the main roads, not sure what will be done to alleviate the problem because I see that where there should be back roads, homes are already built.

Very, very little has been done with the highways, either.

Originally Posted by bu2

And of course all these shortcuts mean more traffic on residential streets, degrading their neighborhood.

Yep. But, if the main routes aren't upgraded, or transit added....that's what happens.