[nep321]

So I just spent the entire week in Atlanta again for training for work and figured I'd share my impressions in comparison with the Hartford metro area. Atlanta has a lot of good things going for it, as well as a lot of bad things. This is an Atlanta vs. Hartford thread (metro areas).


Atlanta is a huge, busy metro area. There is new construction virtually everywhere you look, and it is the epitome of suburban sprawl. Even if you drive 1 hour away from the city center, you will still be surrounded by suburban sprawl, in any direction away from the city enter. In Hartford, this is only true if you drive north or south/southwest. If you head east or west from Hartford, you will reach rural area within 30 minutes. This is not true with Atlanta, and the sprawl is out of control.

The traffic in Atlanta is horrible, at all times of the day and night. The highways have anywhere from 5-8 lanes and are much wider than anything in the Hartford area. In fact, there are numerous multi-lane roads sprawling everywhere in the area, but everytime I look around, there are always tons of cars. It's ridiculous! Even the 6 lane highways get rock solid full of cars. And, there is a huge beltway (I-285) that loops around the city, and is a whopping 63 miles in length! This beltway, however, is constantly clogged with traffic more than any other highway in the area. When I came back to Hartford, I experienced MAJOR traffic relief, and all highways around here seem lightly traveled compared to anything in Atlanta. Hartford county in general has a more rural feel, believe it or not.

One noticeable thing, however, is that the roads in Atlanta are much better than Hartford county roads. The roads in Hartford county are older, have much more cracks in the pavement and have a more faded appearance. They need improvement.

I didn't find the people of ATL to be any friendlier than people in the Hartford area. I think southern hospitality and "friendliness" is overrated, to be honest. In fact, I was honked at on the road multiple times, which rarely ever (in fact....never) happens to me in Hartford. ATL is a fast paced, busy place, contraty to what people may think.

I personally didn't like how 90% of the construction in ATL was brand new. It made the neighborhoods and shopping centers look very plastic and lacking of character. At least here in Hartford there is a mixture of old, historic construction, as well as some new stuff.

Overall, I'm glad to be back home. Believe it or not, I feel more relaxed here, and life is no more fast paced than it is in ATL, from what I've experienced/witnessed. The roads feel dead and lightly traveled here compared to ATL, which I never realized until I came back. But hey, I like that!

Anyone else have an opinion on Atlanta vs. Hartford (metro areas in general)?

[JayCT]

Your impressons are similar to mine. Atalnta is sprawling and has the worst traffic in the country. The reason the pavement around Atlanta is in better shape is that they do not get the freezing and thawing we do. Nice to see you making these kind of comparisons so you can appreciate how much we have here in CT. Jay

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Atalnta is sprawling and has the worst traffic in the country.

That's because of the beltway around Atlanta which, I agree, has awful traffic. Think 95 traffic, plus 2 more lanes. The positive to this is that in general, people don't stay on the beltway for more than 5-10 miles. Same with DC.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by nep321

The traffic in Atlanta is horrible, at all times of the day and night. The highways have anywhere from 5-8 lanes and are much wider than anything in the Hartford area. In fact, there are numerous multi-lane roads sprawling everywhere in the area, but everytime I look around, there are always tons of cars. It's ridiculous! Even the 6 lane highways get rock solid full of cars. And, there is a huge beltway (I-285) that loops around the city, and is a whopping 63 miles in length! This beltway, however, is constantly clogged with traffic more than any other highway in the area. When I came back to Hartford, I experienced MAJOR traffic relief, and all highways around here seem lightly traveled compared to anything in Atlanta. Hartford county in general has a more rural feel, believe it or not.

LOL, maybe this should cross post in the "Delay 33 miles" thread

Of course Hartford County will have a generally more rural feel, it's a lot smaller than Atlanta. Compare Atlanta to a similar sized metro like Boston or Dallas, etc. and it may be different.

Though I didn't quote this, I want to say about Hartford being more "laid back" than Atlanta.....based on my brief time up there for a couple of months 2 years ago I found it more "laid back" that FFC as well for that matter......I don't want to make this be like NY's "upstate vs. downstate" comparisons, but that's kind of what it felt like. But keep in mind that a lot of folk in metro Atlanta are from the big cities of the Northeast nowadays, not the "old South" either.

[htfdcolt]

Heh heh...and we're not even talking about the crime, the awful hot & humid weather, and the disaster that is Hartsfield-Jackson yet...

[nep321]

Originally Posted by rajmelk

Heh heh...and we're not even talking about the crime, the awful hot & humid weather, and the disaster that is Hartsfield-Jackson yet...

I actually wouldn't mind the heat and humidiy, but yeah, that airport is massive. It's the exact same size as the entire town of Plainville, CT!

[mlassoff]

I am in Atlanta several times a year-- and at the airport several times a month. It's not my favorite city. It's a sprawling mega-city with minimal going for it culturally. The people are nice enough... but I find the people to be nice enough everywhere. I have been stuck in the Atlanta traffic to the point where I have missed flights.

My biggest beef with Atlanta is the food... It seems to be either chain restaurants or "Bob's House of Grease."

I don't like the climate. There are many, many places I'd choose over Atlanta.

The airport is a horror show too...

[JViello]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

My biggest beef with Atlanta is the food... It seems to be either chain restaurants or "Bob's House of Grease."

Really? Wow, that was one of the things I appreciated in Atlanta...I could get a decent meal vs the desert that was Charlotte at the time.

The Buckhead Restaurant group alone has some pretty decent places.

Buckhead Life Restaurant Group

I know you're a seafood guy, next time you are there check out The Oceanaire. The Oceanaire Seafood Room

Maybe the business parks you are in are just in the strip mall box store burbs?

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by JViello

Maybe the business parks you are in are just in the strip mall box store burbs?

Thanks for the recommendations JViello. I'll check out The Oceanaire next time I am in town.

I do tend to end up in the awful Atlanta 'burbs a lot more than I am in Buckhead or downtown Atlanta. I've been everywhere from Columbus, which is 90 minutes south of Atlanta to Norcross and Dunwoody to the north.

I need to lose weight anyway.

[nep321]

Yeah the food is another complaint I have. The only restaurant that I've been to and was pleased was that Papadeux restaurant in Marietta. It's a big, BUSY seafood restaurant. It's always packed and very loud and lively. But other than that, it's either fast food or some giant greasy steak house. In fact, a few nights I just grabbed prepared foods at Walmart and Publix LOL.

The only good things about Atlanta are (1) it's very progressive for a southern city, (2) new construction is more affordable than it is in CT, (3) relatively mild winters, and (4) job opportunities are better than the U.S. average.

Another observation I made was that it's disproportionately very high black population. It's 51% black, which is much higher than the U.S. average of 12.5%.