Quote:
Originally Posted by LittleMike
Its actually more environmentally friendly the way they have it set up now.
Yes, they could build houses, but most of the employees don't want to live in AC. AC has alot of crime, the schools suck, and its a tourist spot. I would not want to live there, even if I did work there. Why live on a "residentially" crappy island when the mainland is so much nicer?
So instead of having everyone drive in and conjest the highways (only 2 major ones going into AC), they have them park and mass-commute on in.
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People don't want to live in AC and most people can't afford to live in Margate, Ventnor and Longport. The AC High School isn't even on the island anymore.
AC is working on their traffic patterns and will have the new traffic senstive lights being installed soon. The traffic on the AC expressway, Black Horse Pike and WHite Horse Pike is no where near as bad as it is on GSP once you get pass exit 7. Also there are discussing making Pacific Avenue one way to keep the traffic flowing (although the Jitney Assoc is strongly against this and they have political pull crazy enough)
AC still has tons of buildable land a few blocks inland in Ducktown and the Back Bay and I would disagree and say that the Walk is in the perfect location since that is where the train & bus terminals are and where the Convention Center is. Last week with the Teacher convention the stores along the Walk where mobbed. People walk from convention center to the casinos and AC would rather have them walk pass stores than residences. This isn't a chicken vs egg. You need to give people other reasons to come other than slot machines before you build more residences and that's what the plan is.
Some places like Bella Condos have had a tough time filling and if beach front condos can't sell why would anyone want to live at the AC Expressway exit where the walk is instead. Once the light rail comes in from the AC airport and NYC it'll be an even better location. People now take the train from Philly, Cherry Hill and Lindenwold just to shop.
You can't argue with the success of the Walk. Phase III is underway with more parking and more stores. Since it's opened two years ago only one store, London Fog, and one restaurant IHOP have closed and neither were good fits anway.