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I simpy do not understand that a debate exists......
Although there may be a legitimate emotional debate about freesways desirablitily, I dont see how any intelligent person can possibly argue the freesways havent brought prosperity to Atlanta and any other city, which of course includes the downtown, midtown and other areas within the actual city limits of Atlanta north, south east and west of the city.
Quick accessbility to all parts of the city and the entire metro area is essential, whether it is in the form of limited access highways or a public transportation system. As succesful public transportation systems are almost non-existant in the USA, our highways are absolutely essential. What business would possibly locate their citywide business in any area other than quick accessbility to both clients and employees? This is the case for downtown as it is in Alpharetta or Marietta. I think some forumers here have never truly been in the position of establishing successful business or making multi-million dollar real estate investments. If you were investing several million dollars per investment, I promise you, you would not have such utterly absurd concept that our limited access highways are not positive constributors to the success of virtually every major US city. None of the developer currently building in the current Midtown and downtown boom would even consider investing here unless there were easy accessibility.
I have been buying and selling office buildings in Atlanta for the past ten years. Just get a map of Dorey's CLS, and you will see, office buildings are ALWAYS LOCATED NEAR LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAYS. When I lease my space, that is always one of the first questions; therefore, I as virtually any reasonably intelligent real estate investor and developer, will only buy and develop land close to limited access highways, again that applies to downtown as well as any other area. Its always absolutely essential. Anyone who believes otherwise is just plain naive (and that is a kind word).
If you want an area to boom, build a limited access highway (or a Marta station), and developers like me will build small strip shopping centers and office building and others will build houses.
We DO NOT HAVE A REAL PUBLIC TRANSOPORTION SYSTEM, and as our population density is far too low, there is virtually NO CHANCE and totally unlrealistic that we will have a real truly succesful public transportation system in Atlanta, or virtually any US city in our lifetimte. Our standard of living and convenience is much higher than that of my uncles, aunts and cousins in Germany, and you will never be able to expect well-to-do Atlantan to get in bus, or even on a trolley or tram.
If you want downtown and Midtown Atlanta to go bust, shut down the connector.
One very postive effect of the connector is that it physically separate downtown Atlanta from some very low income areas of east Atlanta, which adds safety to the commuters working in downtown and midtown. As I posted before, most major cities of the world are divided by rivers, so I dont see the different between a flow of water and flow of traffic in terms of slicing a city. And I just drove by the connections between Midtown and downtown, and physically, it is seamless. If there werent a highway below, there would be a handful of extra buildings!!
When I am on Roswell Road by 285, you better believe it, that when I drive home, I take 285 and then i-75. It NEVER would occur to me to take Roswell Road and then Peachtree Road to 14th Street rather than the freeways.
I honestly believe that some of the forumers are against freeways are people that are simply physically afraid in their normal life to be on highway with 8 to 14 lanes of traffic. Many people are simple emotionally overwhelmed by this and become stressed by highways with high traffic, even though it is actually far more efficient and faster. (I have employees that live in Kennessaw that would rather crawl down Cobb Parkway at 25mph and get stuck in one red light after another than take I-75 in the morning at 25-45mph....its just not rational!)
So much for transportation, I think inquiring and finding out and sharing info about our highrises is much more fun and we will have less disagreement. Today I looked out my window and saw them digging on the property for the LUXE! I cant wait to see that building starting coming out of the ground....there are now 5 condos building under construction in view of my condo (1010 Piedmont, Onyx, Luxe, Aqua and Viewpoint!)
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