Perimeter285 Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Check out plans for I-75 in Northwest Atlanta:http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/stor...methighway.htmlIt sounds a lot like the multibillion-dollar concrete monstrosity that we're building in our fair city (the Katy Freeway expansion). I find it disturbing that people are still have this "gobble up everything in sight and squeeze in as many lanes as humanly possible" mentality. What will we do in another 20 years, double it again? Ham-handed work from ham-handed transportation planners. TXDOT's influence is obviously spreading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CE_ugh Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Check out plans for I-75 in Northwest Atlanta:http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/stor...methighway.htmlIt sounds a lot like the multibillion-dollar concrete monstrosity that we're building in our fair city (the Katy Freeway expansion). I find it disturbing that people are still have this "gobble up everything in sight and squeeze in as many lanes as humanly possible" mentality. What will we do in another 20 years, double it again? Ham-handed work from ham-handed transportation planners. TXDOT's influence is obviously spreading.I dont think this project includes frontage roads either. Also they are say they are putting "truck-only toll lanes" which have more in common with the TTC than the Katy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Check out plans for I-75 in Northwest Atlanta:http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/stor...methighway.htmlIt sounds a lot like the multibillion-dollar concrete monstrosity that we're building in our fair city (the Katy Freeway expansion). I find it disturbing that people are still have this "gobble up everything in sight and squeeze in as many lanes as humanly possible" mentality. What will we do in another 20 years, double it again? Ham-handed work from ham-handed transportation planners. TXDOT's influence is obviously spreading.What do you suggest instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmainguy Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 What do you suggest instead? High speed rail transit with transfers. More HOV access. Diss-incentives for wastefull urban sprall. How about you, Jeebs? More concrete for more single occupancy cars so kids can breathe even more carbon emissions? Solutions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 High speed rail transit with transfers. More HOV access. Diss-incentives for wastefull urban sprall.How about you, Jeebs? More concrete for more single occupancy cars so kids can breathe even more carbon emissions? Solutions? Cars in the south are a way of life. Even after the oil age they will continue to be a way of life. I was only asking for suggestions because all he/she provided was griping. As for me? I think commuter rail + a complete light rail network would be a decent start. Of course the obvious would be more park & rides along both the HOV & commuter rail routes as well. Maybe even tax incentives of some sort for "going-green". But the most important thing is for us to realize that places like Houston & Atlanta will never grow beyond medium density. We'll continue growing from here to Austin before we start to densify. Perhaps further inflated gas prices will help slow that trend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted March 12, 2006 Share Posted March 12, 2006 Cars in the south are a way of life.Actually, walking is a way of life in the South, followed soon thereafter by horses and mules. The first railroad in the US was built close to Atlanta, in South Carolina in 1828. Atlanta joined South Carolina in the 1830s with 3 railroads.The automobile is a relatively recent phenomenon, with the first one arriving in Atlanta in 1901. Even then, walking, bicycles, trolleys and even busses were the predominant forms of transportation until after World War II. So automobiles have only been a predominant form of transportation for about 60 of the South's over 400 years of white existence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted March 12, 2006 Share Posted March 12, 2006 So automobiles have only been a predominant form of transportation for about 60 of the South's over 400 years of white existence.And when has Atlanta & Houston grown the most in both annexation and population? The last 60 years. Cars are a way of life. If they weren't, the majority of the members on this board not only could say they don't use their car for work, but that most wouldn't even own one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted March 12, 2006 Share Posted March 12, 2006 Jeez! Do I have to put a stinkin' Smiley on every joke? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmainguy Posted March 12, 2006 Share Posted March 12, 2006 Cars in the south are a way of life. Even after the oil age they will continue to be a way of life. I was only asking for suggestions because all he/she provided was griping. As for me? I think commuter rail + a complete light rail network would be a decent start. Of course the obvious would be more park & rides along both the HOV & commuter rail routes as well. Maybe even tax incentives of some sort for "going-green". But the most important thing is for us to realize that places like Houston & Atlanta will never grow beyond medium density. We'll continue growing from here to Austin before we start to densify. Perhaps further inflated gas prices will help slow that trend. Automobiles are a way of life around the world. The south doesn't get to claim that dubious honor. Unless we-I mean scientists, entrepreneurs, corporations, governing bodies and mostly people like us (HAIFer's) demand new technologies (hydrogen perhaps?) and better land use, then one day when it's all dried up you can drive by my house and see my beloved 380SL displayed as sculpture in my front yard and I'll give you some tomatos I'll be growing in the bed of my F150 out back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Plastic Posted March 12, 2006 Share Posted March 12, 2006 Yhey out to do that here. Single car riders pay to use the Express lane while Buses Trucks,and Carpoolers ride free.And there are going to put a rail down I-to. WHat the out to do is elecates the HOTway and put the commuter and high speed rail tracks under it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perimeter285 Posted March 12, 2006 Author Share Posted March 12, 2006 I agree, cars are a way of life in the South/Sunbelt, and I'm not complaining about that. I am complaining about the lack of alternatives for all of these highway projects. Concerned citizens in the area around the Katy Freeway expansion presented forward thinking alternatives to the concrete covered demolition derby that we're seeing now. Transportation planners just can't seem to see beyond adding as many lanes for as little money as possible. I'm all for improving automobile circulation, but too often regional "solutions" create local nightmares. Is shaving a couple minutes off commute time worth tearing out houses, trees, businesses (that create tax revenue and jobs) and generally wrecking the atmosphere of a city? And I do mean shaving a couple of minutes off, because even after these mega-expansions are complete, the traffic snarls will still be there. Traffic continues to grow, and within a year or two you're right back where you started, only with a lot less scenery to look at while your engine idles.As for alternatives:- Make the most out of the right-of-way you already have (look at the Central Expressway in Dallas - they managed to squeeze many lanes into a tiny space because they got creative...and it's a very attractive road at that...and traffic moves!)- Commuter rail... I know we harp on this to death, but given the alternative, a lot of people would use it and remove a lot of traffic from these freeways, especially people that just head straight to work in an office and never use their car otherwise. I know for a fact that Atlanta's commuter rail system does not have a corridor in the vicinity of I-75, and there is zero talk of extending one up there. They're just going straight to the highway expansion alternative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted March 12, 2006 Share Posted March 12, 2006 Jeez! Do I have to put a stinkin' Smiley on every joke? YES! Sorry Red. You know its impossible to detect intent & tone on the web! I think commuter-rail is the most viable solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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