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I mean, the growth and sprawl is unavoidable in this area, but not to the level of ATL. That's a "real" city, not to mention it's known internationally. Seems like people never left after the 1996 Olympics and it was over after that.
For all the issues with Atlanta traffic, the biggest solution to their problems would've been a northern freeway arc through the northern suburbs. Expanding MARTA would help, but with the way Atlanta is laid out there is no more efficient way to move travelers than the freeways. The way that it's currently laid out all the pass through traffic has to go onto 285 and pile on with local travelers. Atlanta lacks alternate routes for it's freeways and arterial roads. Of course at this point in the game it's practically impossible to build such a highway as the NIMBY's wouldn't allow it today. So now all they can do is add lanes to existing highways. Basically Atlanta has boxed itself into a position where it cannot build more highways or alternate routes through all the sprawling suburbs. North of 285 the road network is just atrocious. For example, if I want to go from Duluth to Kennesaw, I have to go all the way down to 285 then back up on 75.
Fortunately for the Triangle, North Carolina has done a much better job so far of planning the freeway network. Transit here just isn't necessary yet due to the way the metro is laid out so highways are the best way to move people around. Once 540 is completed it will relieve a significant amount of the current traffic issues and the area probably won't need any new freeways for at least a 3 decades, maybe just some widening of existing ones. North Carolina is much more aggressive than Georgia with it's road building so the Triangle will be better off than Atlanta in terms of traffic going forward.
Fortunately for the Triangle, North Carolina has done a much better job so far of planning the freeway network. Transit here just isn't necessary yet due to the way the metro is laid out so highways are the best way to move people around. Once 540 is completed it will relieve a significant amount of the current traffic issues and the area probably won't need any new freeways for at least a 3 decades, maybe just some widening of existing ones. North Carolina is much more aggressive than Georgia with it's road building so the Triangle will be better off than Atlanta in terms of traffic going forward.
Great analysis and explanation... That definitely helps me understand.
Live in the now. If a place meets your current needs and appeals to you, go with that. Can't predict the future other than to say, change of one sort or another is inevitable. But your needs and wants will probably morph over time as well.
What crime stats are you all looking at? If you review crime rates for the Triangle area they are considerably lower for rape and murder and declining since the 60's. Peaked actually in the 80's. It's almost half!
Georgia GDOT had proposed GA 500, a/k/a the Outer Perimeter. Consideration of the full loop had stopped by about 2000, but the "northern arc" remained alive as a concept for a while longer. Both conservatives and liberals had objections.
What crime stats are you all looking at? If you review crime rates for the Triangle area they are considerably lower for rape and murder and declining since the 60's. Peaked actually in the 80's. It's almost half!
I meant that Atlanta has a higher crime rate. I was questioning whether Raleigh was headed in that direction as it continues rapid growth.
Live in the now. If a place meets your current needs and appeals to you, go with that. Can't predict the future other than to say, change of one sort or another is inevitable. But your needs and wants will probably morph over time as well.
But wouldn't it be wise to plan for the future and to do as much as possible to prevent the mistakes of other cities?
Live in the now. If a place meets your current needs and appeals to you, go with that. Can't predict the future other than to say, change of one sort or another is inevitable. But your needs and wants will probably morph over time as well.
The thing is, you can make quite a lot of reasonable predictions about the future. There’s plans that have been in the works for decades. It was pretty easy to look at plans for 540 and predict what would happen to, say, North Raleigh or West Cary. I’m in downtown Cary and the area is going through a lot of change. Some long time residents are upset at the changes, but they are complaining about things the town put into motion nearly 20 years ago. There’s a long range plan for the next decades that guides what will happen. Sure, there’ll be some changes as it rolls out, but big picture it is pretty accurate.
Yes , ironically you question this after moving out to Clayton so you are a contributor to this. People move out , sprawl, mark their territory . Then they complain about others doing the same ... I’ve heard from some civil engineers that an area is sustainable and able to upkeep its infrastructure as long as density is greater than 2500. That is also the lower end .
Anyhow growth to the state of NC is slowing , however to the triangle itself it hasn’t .
Growth ain’t inevitable , the fantasies of endless growth are going to send this planet down.
you said "the triangle itself it hasn't" but it hasn't at the other end of the state, and appears to be growing towards each other filling in the middle. "Growth is slowing" says who?
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