Why Is Atlanta's Traffic So Bad? (Future Charlotte Development Thread) (Raleigh: quality of life, living in)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And there is the problem. None of them want to actually live in Atlanta. The population of the city has been stagnant for decades. Hence you have 3M people living in a sprawl that spreads over dozens of counties that jam highways trying to commute to work. Though it has a heavy rail transit line, ATL's answer to this is to pave over the state in response. It's an example of everything wrong with city development.
Quote:
Originally Posted by swampfoxer
But, in Charlottes defense, given the metro population comparison of the 2, Atlanta's roadways were just as ridiculous when they were our size 40 years ago. In time, and I mean several decades from now, charlotte may have a decent road and rail system. But there is no comparison right now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sonofaque86
Atlanta's metro is the size of Charlotte, Raleigh's, and Greensboro COMBINED. All in one spot. Maybe that's?
Thank you all, for your replies
I wasn't aware of how much area Atlanta's metro encompassed.
Charlotte is no better...
When I drive around the likes of Ballantyne, University City, Concord Mills area, Steele Creek and the likes; I get the impression that Charlotte has learned NOTHING from Atlanta's example. Though Charlotte has seen some success with areas such as Noda, Southend, and Uptown; the metro as a whole is still addicted to the illusion that EVERBODY who moves here could (and should) have a BIG HOUSE and it won't cause any problems at all down the road.
Then there are those developers who think that row houses and apartments built on two-laned rural roads is "smart growth".
My thinking exactly.
For all of the boasting about "new urbanism" and "smart growth," I see it as you do:
Dense developments built upon overtaxed, rural, country roads.
And when people make left turns into a development, it knocks out the *only* travel lane.
Yet, unlike Downtown/Southend, residents in Ballantyne, Steele Creek, etc., are almost (if not) car dependent.
And the same madness is taking over areas in York County...
(That's why I created this thread, in seeking to find out what we can do in preventing CLT from becoming the next Atlanta)
This would certainly explain why Raleigh/Greensboro were easier to navigate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NDL
(That's why I created this thread, in seeking to find out what we can do in preventing CLT from becoming the next Atlanta)
It's simple really. We need to limit the amount of residential growth in areas that simply don't have the infrastructure in place to support it. The local real estate industry isn't about to go for that, so nothing will change.
This would certainly explain why Raleigh/Greensboro were easier to navigate.
It's simple really. We need to limit the amount of residential growth in areas that simply don't have the infrastructure in place to support it. The local real estate industry isn't about to go for that, so nothing will change.
I'm not so sure about that. What if the population difference can simply be explained by the fact that neither city has been as aggressive in using its powers of involuntary annexation? You analysis would suggest that if Ballantyne is successful, and breaks away a part of Charlotte to form another city, and Charlotte's population drops by 100K, then traffic gets better. I'm not thinking that it works this way.
This would certainly explain why Raleigh/Greensboro were easier to navigate.
It's simple really. We need to limit the amount of residential growth in areas that simply don't have the infrastructure in place to support it. The local real estate industry isn't about to go for that, so nothing will change.
FWIW, Gastonia is going to be getting denser. 2 buildings in downtown are being converted to apartments & the Loray Mill will have 140 loft apartments. They want to put a transit center on Franklin Blvd in a spot that is currently an eyesore. Gastonia hoping to build downtown transit center - Charlotte Business Journal
As traffic gets worse coming from Union County & eastern York County, people will give a second look to the 74/85 corridor..While Union has it over Gaston, for schools, at this time, there are some top-rated schools in the 74/85 corridor. The districts are pushing for improvement.
And there is the problem. None of them want to actually live in Atlanta. The population of the city has been stagnant for decades. Hence you have 3M people living in a sprawl that spreads over dozens of counties that jam highways trying to commute to work. Though it has a heavy rail transit line, ATL's answer to this is to pave over the state in response. It's an example of everything wrong with city development.
Despite the fact the Atlanta MSA is at least 2.5X larger than Charlotte's MSA it's core county and city are growing much slower. Mecklenburg county has already surpassed Fulton in population density. Charlotte should be commended for not following ATL's example.
In CLT the vast majority of the people moving to the area move into the core county. In ATL the vast majority of the people move to the 28 county sprawl around the core county.
This is why traffic is so bad in ATL.
Finally someone agrees with points I've tried to make numerous times in the past.
I think the answer is to STOP GROWING...the infrastructure has not been able to keep up...so stop issuing building permits...I keep seeing them add more and more along 521, soon it will be like independence, a congested mess...Why is there a desire to keep getting bigger in the first place?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
