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How on earth is Providence and Rea Road going to handle the traffic with the upcoming Rea Farms development? And all of the traffic that will be getting onto 485.....UGH! It's ridiculous as it is now! I'm not sure I understand the planning, or lack thereof, in Charlotte. It seems as though they allow development, development, development without putting any foresight into the traffic issues.
As I have said on previous threads, I have lived in cities much bigger than Charlotte, but the traffic and lack of infrastructure is amazing. Just my 2 cents worth.
It's the same up my way around the Concord Mills area. There is a road that has the high school and elementary school across from each other. They are putting two new developments on either side of the elementary. They are also trying to build 168 more apartments which are being fought. Someone asked the developer if the road would be widened and his answer was the city deals with the roads.
The developers don't care and apparently neither does the city. We lived in the DC area before moving down here and I don't remember it being that bad. Yes, traffic was awful but it seemed they added lanes and connectors when it was needed. They also used to do the roadwork at night which is something that NC needs to do as well. Stop doing it during rush hour.
Agreed. It's STUPID to do it during rush hour. One SATURDAY AFTERNOON we were heading towards 485 on Providence, and the traffic was backed up for miles. Yep, road construction on the busiest afternoon of the week!
So, if the city deals with the roads, you are saying traffic is just going to get worse and worse! People continue to move here, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down at all-look at the development and traffic. My family's new past time in the car is the count how many NJ or NY plates we see on a given outing (that seems to be the place from which most people are moving). We average about 5-6 per outing.
I don't live in Mecklenburg County, but most everything I do is in Charlotte. I am to the point that I hate getting out because I end up SO FRUSTRATED with traffic! The amount of cars on the road are unreal. I live in the Wesley Chapel area, and when intersecting Providence, the traffic coming from the Waxhaw area is ridiculous. The back roads around WC are ridiculous. Everywhere I go it's ridiculous! I just don't understand the lack of foresight on these so called "leaders".
It's so frustrating for me I have started getting up at 4:30 on Sunday morning to go to Mass at 7 or 8 am because once 9-10am hits the traffic really picks up! Just amazing.......
How on earth is Providence and Rea Road going to handle the traffic with the upcoming Rea Farms development? And all of the traffic that will be getting onto 485.....UGH! It's ridiculous as it is now! I'm not sure I understand the planning, or lack thereof, in Charlotte. It seems as though they allow development, development, development without putting any foresight into the traffic issues.
As I have said on previous threads, I have lived in cities much bigger than Charlotte, but the traffic and lack of infrastructure is amazing. Just my 2 cents worth.
The problem is not development, it's your fear of traffic.
Besides, the developer of Rea Farms said that an increase in traffic is a non issue, as the development is all inclusive: live work and play. Therefore, employees who work at Rea Farms will likewise live in Rea Farms, and will spend all of their recreation time there.
See? No traffic concerns to mitigate.
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Smoky Bissell - the developer of Ballantyne - said that (with all of these developments) "NO ONE is thinking about water." But what does he know...
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I saw this pattern play out in the Northeast:
Step 1: A tract of land is undeveloped, and is therefore found desirable by city folks who have had enough of the harried pace, crime, and congestion that comes with urban living - so city folks move to the undeveloped area, en masse.
Step 2: Local folks cite their concerns about the way that the land is being developed; that the character of the area will change, etc. Their concerns are booed down by everyone; their concerns are motivated by "irrational fears" of things that will "*never* happen."
Step 3: The new inhabitants want what they had in their old city, so they vote vote vote, to spend spend spend!
Step 4: The new inhabitants - many of whom are miserable inside - find that their new home doesn't live up to the promises that were made. What happened??? The real estate agent lied!
Step 5: Their new home out and out stinks; taxes went way up since they first inhabited their new home, and wow...things are getting congested!
Step 6: Sick of high taxes and congestion, folks set their eyes upon their next victim. Wash, rinse and repeat.
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What's scary about the Metrolina region, is some of the development patterns (especially on the SC side), are scarier than what I have seen in the mid Atlantic.
Fear traffic? That's silly. I don't fear it, I just don't like it. When I lived in Madison, WI, not too long ago, the city (we had a friend that was a home builder), required developers to assist in improving the roads at the development. There was a lot of hoops and costs to deal with, but the end result was far superior to what I have seen here. Madison is growing rapidly, too.
I was there not too long ago, and they have done a wonderful job with improving the infrastructure. Do they still have traffic issues? Yes, but they at least have a PLAN for the future. Building there was more controlled rather than just build, build, build with no concerns for current traffic.
I also think it is silliness to say that those who live in Rea Farms are going to work there. There is no way they are going to be able to provide enough jobs with all of the housing and apartments in that area. And those who work there, probably won't be able to afford to live there. Just look at the cost of the apartments and housing in the Waverly development. It's outrageous. The developer must have some little utopia in mind where people are actually going to do this. I would venture to guess that a lot of people are going to live there because it is close to 485, thus making it a short commute to the highway.
Yes, I see truth to your steps above in many ways. Regardless, I don't think any sensible person can deny the fact that traffic is bad here and that better planning needs to be done. It's really common sense to drive through that area and see that 1)it's crowded now, and 2)adding all of the apartments and housing will make the traffic much worse. It's just common sense. It's not some irrational fear of traffic!
Thank goodness Providence intervened and we did not choose the Fort Mill area. I rarely go down there, but it and Rock Hill are awful.
Current study throughout the US, 100 cities, best & worst to drive in, Charlotte ranks #19 (100 is worst). #44 for traffic & infrastructure.
I get it's bad, but I've lived in much worse (Chicago #99), so I can deal with this most of the time. I get more frustrated by bad drivers that don't use turn signals, drive 60 in 35 mph zones and constantly text and drive than I do with the traffic.
Fear traffic? That's silly. I don't fear it, I just don't like it. When I lived in Madison, WI, not too long ago, the city (we had a friend that was a home builder), required developers to assist in improving the roads at the development.
Gypsy , I was being facetious. I have aired similar concerns to yours, and they are often ignored, which leads me to my next point:
Quote:
Originally Posted by gypsyjudy
There was a lot of hoops and costs to deal with, but the end result was far superior to what I have seen here. Madison is growing rapidly, too.
I have also pointed out that other areas manage growth better than NC (and especially SC); newcomers often shrug off concerns because they're still in their "honeymoon period," while natives get offended at my suggestion that they're mismanaging something (and in this case, growth).
Quote:
Originally Posted by gypsyjudy
I was there not too long ago, and they have done a wonderful job with improving the infrastructure. Do they still have traffic issues? Yes, but they at least have a PLAN for the future. Building there was more controlled rather than just build, build, build with no concerns for current traffic.
I would say the same of developments that were built in NJ in the past 25 years: there are many things about NJ that I don't care for, but as to managing growth, they are far better.
So while I might not be thrilled at the prospect of greater development, there ARE municipalities which instill some degree of confidence that they will be able to mitigate some of the effects that growth brings.
What's Charlotte's citywide plan to mitigate congestion? Bike lanes.
And while the westbound light rail line is a good idea, in execution they are avoiding the upcoming River District.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gypsyjudy
I also think it is silliness to say that those who live in Rea Farms are going to work there. There is no way they are going to be able to provide enough jobs with all of the housing and apartments in that area. And those who work there, probably won't be able to afford to live there.
Agreed, agreed, agreed.
But what's worse is that the developer can make such statements, the media will repeat his statements - unchallenged, and no one bats an eye.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gypsyjudy
Thank goodness Providence intervened and we did not choose the Fort Mill area. I rarely go down there, but it and Rock Hill are awful.
Current study throughout the US, 100 cities, best & worst to drive in, Charlotte ranks #19 (100 is worst). #44 for traffic & infrastructure.
I get it's bad, but I've lived in much worse (Chicago #99), so I can deal with this most of the time. I get more frustrated by bad drivers that don't use turn signals, drive 60 in 35 mph zones and constantly text and drive than I do with the traffic.
Please don't take this personally, as it's not meant to be personal:
For years I have seen logic similar to yours: '...things aren't bad in Charlotte; I've lived in worse.'
1) I've lived in worse myself, which is why I moved . If Charlotte was a lateral move from the NYC metro area, I would not have moved to Charlotte.
2) Charlotte's a young(er) City, meaning that many households with kids aren't yet driving. Once these kids start to drive, scores of new cars will be added to our roads, without an increase in population.
3) Charlotte is FAR from being fully built out. What's bearable today, might be tomorrow's gridlocked mess - and working out tomorrow's kinks will be cost prohibitive.
Current study throughout the US, 100 cities, best & worst to drive in, Charlotte ranks #19 (100 is worst). #44 for traffic & infrastructure.
I get it's bad, but I've lived in much worse (Chicago #99), so I can deal with this most of the time. I get more frustrated by bad drivers that don't use turn signals, drive 60 in 35 mph zones and constantly text and drive than I do with the traffic.
My absolute pet peeves with traffic in this area is the merging. If people would learn to merge onto the highways correctly, I bet there wouldn't be anymore rush hour. I commute almost daily on 485 to 77 South in the mornings and the Benfield Road exit to get on 485 is the worst. People are merging onto 485 going 35 -40 miles an hour sometimes. The speed limit is 70. I surprised there hasn't been more accidents. The same thing happens getting onto 77 south.
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, I was being facetious. I have aired similar concerns to yours, and they are often ignored, which leads me to my next point:
