ATLANTA | Development Thread V

[shivtim]

Even more good news on the bicycle front. Cycle Atlanta just released a first round of data. It's a visualization of 4500 actual bicycle trips:
http://cycleatlanta.org/routes/

This type of data helps to show which roads are already being heavily used by cyclists, and where more infrastructure might be needed. Some of the main corridors are 5th street, 10th street, the Beltline Eastside Trail, Peachtree St, Highland, and Freedom Parkway. This does have quite a bit of bias, because younger and more technologically proficient people are more likely to download and use the app, but it's still pretty interesting.

[ATL_J]

Originally Posted by shivtim

Even more good news on the bicycle front. Cycle Atlanta just released a first round of data. It's a visualization of 4500 actual bicycle trips:
http://cycleatlanta.org/routes/

This type of data helps to show which roads are already being heavily used by cyclists, and where more infrastructure might be needed. Some of the main corridors are 5th street, 10th street, the Beltline Eastside Trail, Peachtree St, Highland, and Freedom Parkway. This does have quite a bit of bias, because younger and more technologically proficient people are more likely to download and use the app, but it's still pretty interesting.

Also consider that just because a route is heavily traveled doesn't mean that is where the focus needs to be. For example, if certain roads (like Ponce) were safer and had bike infrastructure, they'd be more heavily traveled.

[plorenc]

Originally Posted by ATL_J

I don't like sharrows, I think they're a waste. We need dedicated bike lanes, not sharrows.

Seriously, sharrows seem to be pretty useless, as bikes are legally allowed in travel lanes with or without their presence.

The only legitimate purpose of them (that I can think of) is that they inform out of towners/the less informed that bicycles are allowed and may indeed be encountered in the road.

I can't tell you how many times I've been told to "get on the sidewalk" by passing motorists, despite the fact that I'm supposed to be cycling on the road. This may help change this perception, although it could backfire, as drivers may think that roads with dedicated lanes/sharrows are the only roads that bikes are allowed on.

[Immovable_Media]

Speaking of biking in Atlanta... I went for a ride on my Specialized down the Eastside Trail and shot this video: http://youtu.be/YpDbINwr8II

I must say, it was a great experience. Lots of people were out enjoying the trail: riding, walking, running, skating or just relaxing. I even saw an APD officer patrolling the trail.

The Eastside Trail will continue to be a major catalyst for development in the Old Forth Ward. Ponce City Market, The Somerset, Amli Ponce Park (just to name a few) will add another influx of people to this area most of whom (we hope) will use the trail. At least as an alternative path to the bar More people using this trail means more trails all around Atlanta.

[clexmond]

Originally Posted by plorenc

Seriously, sharrows seem to be pretty useless, as bikes are legally allowed in travel lanes with or without their presence.

The only legitimate purpose of them (that I can think of) is that they inform out of towners/the less informed that bicycles are allowed and may indeed be encountered in the road.

I can't tell you how many times I've been told to "get on the sidewalk" by passing motorists, despite the fact that I'm supposed to be cycling on the road. This may help change this perception, although it could backfire, as drivers may think that roads with dedicated lanes/sharrows are the only roads that bikes are allowed on.

Good for you, because I sure would be yelling at you to ride on the street if you were barreling down the sidewalk Riding on a lot of streets in the city is not a great experience, but the more of us that do it, and do it consistently, the more used to it drivers will become.

[bigstick]

Originally Posted by Immovable_Media

Speaking of biking in Atlanta... I went for a ride on my Specialized down the Eastside Trail and shot this video: http://youtu.be/YpDbINwr8II

I must say, it was a great experience. Lots of people were out enjoying the trail: riding, walking, running, skating or just relaxing. I even saw an APD officer patrolling the trail.

The Eastside Trail will continue to be a major catalyst for development in the Old Forth Ward. Ponce City Market, The Somerset, Amli Ponce Park (just to name a few) will add another influx of people to this area most of whom (we hope) will use the trail. At least as an alternative path to the bar More people using this trail means more trails all around Atlanta.

Awesome vid, I got dizzy though, lol...This place is amazing, I can only imagine what it is going to look like even 6 month or a year from now. I have a feeling it is going to become so crowded that it may become impossible to even ride a bike anymore. It annoys me too, when 2 or more people are walking and they are spread across the whole path. Dog leashes are a problem too, people please control your leash. I almost ran in to a leash the other day because this queen was on her phone and was oblivious to the real world.

[micropundit]

Carter, the Atlanta-based real estate developer that's made aggressive moves for big intown development projects in recent years, has been given a seat at the table to negotiate for two pieces of property near Atlantic Station that could feature an Amtrak and Greyhound station. The adjoining parcels, one of which is owned by the State Road and Tollway Authority(SRTA), located at Northside Drive and 17th Street could also play a key role in the development of Atlanta's Westside neighborhood.
According to a document posted to SRTA's website, Carter has been notified that it made the best offer on the land. The firm, the state, and the owner of the adjoining property will now sit down to negotiate a final sale.
Carter is in the process of securing leases with Amtrak and Greyhound, which means the area could serve a role as a major transportation hub in the city

http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2013...amtrak-greyhound-stations#readerComments

[Immovable_Media]

Originally Posted by bigstick

Awesome vid, I got dizzy though, lol...This place is amazing, I can only imagine what it is going to look like even 6 month or a year from now. I have a feeling it is going to become so crowded that it may become impossible to even ride a bike anymore. It annoys me too, when 2 or more people are walking and they are spread across the whole path. Dog leashes are a problem too, people please control your leash. I almost ran in to a leash the other day because this queen was on her phone and was oblivious to the real world.

Thanks BigStick! I'm slowing the video down as we speak and I will upload when it's done. The trail is already very popular... So much so that even on a Thursday @ 230pm, it wasn't exactly easy navigating the "traffic." Especially the people who pay no attention to their surroundings and like you said, spread across the whole path. I guess they walk like they drive, inconsiderate and selfish kings of the path/road.

[briantech]

Originally Posted by micropundit

Carter, the Atlanta-based real estate developer that's made aggressive moves for big intown development projects in recent years, has been given a seat at the table to negotiate for two pieces of property near Atlantic Station that could feature an Amtrak and Greyhound station. The adjoining parcels, one of which is owned by the State Road and Tollway Authority(SRTA), located at Northside Drive and 17th Street could also play a key role in the development of Atlanta's Westside neighborhood.
According to a document posted to SRTA's website, Carter has been notified that it made the best offer on the land. The firm, the state, and the owner of the adjoining property will now sit down to negotiate a final sale.
Carter is in the process of securing leases with Amtrak and Greyhound, which means the area could serve a role as a major transportation hub in the city

http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2013...amtrak-greyhound-stations#readerComments

Uh what? That is freaking dumb. Why would you build a transportation hub that doesn't have MARTA access? People gonna ride Greyhound, get off the bus ... and then what, hang around IKEA?

What a waste of money and land

[GTdan]

Tree removal signs are now posted at the Georgia Proton Treatment Center site. In a couple of years this area will be very different with the addition of this and the apartments across Juniper.

image from: http://www.advancedparticletherapy.com/clinical-partners/georgia-proton-treatment-center

[Nanosolar]

Originally Posted by micropundit

Carter, the Atlanta-based real estate developer that's made aggressive moves for big intown development projects in recent years, has been given a seat at the table to negotiate for two pieces of property near Atlantic Station that could feature an Amtrak and Greyhound station. The adjoining parcels, one of which is owned by the State Road and Tollway Authority(SRTA), located at Northside Drive and 17th Street could also play a key role in the development of Atlanta's Westside neighborhood.
According to a document posted to SRTA's website, Carter has been notified that it made the best offer on the land. The firm, the state, and the owner of the adjoining property will now sit down to negotiate a final sale.
Carter is in the process of securing leases with Amtrak and Greyhound, which means the area could serve a role as a major transportation hub in the city

http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2013...amtrak-greyhound-stations#readerComments

This is a huge mistake. Why don't we just put all this in the MMPT?

[GTdan]

Novare sure isn't wasting any time with 100 6th street. I ran by today and they are already putting up the tower crane.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by bigstick

Awesome vid, I got dizzy though, lol...This place is amazing, I can only imagine what it is going to look like even 6 month or a year from now. I have a feeling it is going to become so crowded that it may become impossible to even ride a bike anymore. It annoys me too, when 2 or more people are walking and they are spread across the whole path. Dog leashes are a problem too, people please control your leash. I almost ran in to a leash the other day because this queen was on her phone and was oblivious to the real world.

Maybe you should slow down a little? Dogs on leashes and people walking side by side have a place on the trail just like cyclists...so if you're irritated by them then you may want to find another place to ride. Remember, the trail is for everyone. - Avid Dog Walker

[NYC2ATX]

Originally Posted by briantech

Uh what? That is freaking dumb. Why would you build a transportation hub that doesn't have MARTA access? People gonna ride Greyhound, get off the bus ... and then what, hang around IKEA?

What a waste of money and land

Hey hey hey, let's not be so negative. Transit hubs don't necessarily have to be built in an already-vital area. They can also create a vital area. Consider the story of Midtown Manhattan. Back when Grand Central was first built, that area was not much different than the Upper West Side, blocks and blocks of brownstones. The long-standing lore that Midtown sprung up because of Manhattan's irregular bedrock is not actually the case, but when Grand Central opened, Midtown became the place for commerce to locate, eventually surpassing Lower Manhattan in importance.

Atlanta is a rapidly developing and still maturing city. The area around Atlantic Station and also around Marietta and Howell Mill is quickly urbanizing and densifying, and if you want transit connections, 17th Street is ideal for an expansion of the infantile streetcar system (or MARTA, if we're talking pie-in-the-sky). The beauty of ATL right now is nothing is totally off-limits.

Sidenote: the aerial from that article is super cool

[atlantaguy]

Originally Posted by StatenIslander237

Hey hey hey, let's not be so negative. Transit hubs don't necessarily have to be built in an already-vital area. They can also create a vital area. Consider the story of Midtown Manhattan. Back when Grand Central was first built, that area was not much different than the Upper West Side, blocks and blocks of brownstones. The long-standing lore that Midtown sprung up because of Manhattan's irregular bedrock is not actually the case, but when Grand Central opened, Midtown became the place for commerce to locate, eventually surpassing Lower Manhattan in importance.

Atlanta is a rapidly developing and still maturing city. The area around Atlantic Station and also around Marietta and Howell Mill is quickly urbanizing and densifying, and if you want transit connections, 17th Street is ideal for a an expansion of the infantile streetcar system (or MARTA, if we're talking pie-in-the-sky). The beauty of ATL right now is nothing is totally off-limits.

Sidenote: the aerial from that article is super cool

Your points are duly noted, StatenIslander237. However, many of us feel that this plan is somewhat suspect.

There are very grand plans in the works as we speak for a new MMPT in the heart of Downtown to consolidate the regions Greyhound, Amtrak, GRTA regional bus routes and existing and proposed MARTA routes, both bus and rail. The proposed MMPT is under an RFP process right now, and some major players have expressed interest. The proposed site also happens to be adjacent to MARTA's main transfer hub at Five Points, and the intention is to seamlessly connect the two into a major transfer junction and simultaneously tie together several sections of Downtown in a cohesive way.

This new proposal for a West Midtown transportaion hub basically makes no sense at all, unless it's a purely temporary solution. Otherwise, it basically smacks as a move by the State to further isolate Downtown and to usurp and derail the plans already underway for the MMPT.

Hope this makes sense to an outsider.

[SAV]

Can there not be more than 1 Amtrak and greyhound station that close?

wouldn't it be cool to have stations in both Atlantic station and Downtown Atlanta!

[NYC2ATX]

Originally Posted by SAV

Can there not be more than 1 Amtrak and greyhound station that close?

wouldn't it be cool to have stations in both Atlantic station and Downtown Atlanta!

My point exactly!

But seriously, yeah that makes a lot of sense, atlantaguy. I am well aware that there are grand plans for the MMPT in the Gulch area downtown, and you're completely right that it's more centrally located and all around makes more sense as a place for a large, central station of sorts for Atlanta.

I remain cautiously optimistic about this plan at 17th and Northside because I have been watching the development of Intown Atlanta and I've seen that as the cores of Midtown and Downtown have blossomed, the first ring of neighborhoods out from there (Inman Park, O4W, Atlantic Station/W Midtown, etc.) have also rapidly grown denser...all of this I have no doubts you're well, well informed of. I think bringing some civic purposes to the one step outside areas, especially those fronting the BeltLine, will help solidify these areas as part of the greater core of a greater city. Though I'm definitely going to hold a final opinion until more info/renderings are released.

Pardon my digressions Atlanta fascinates me, I can't wait to visit someday.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by TarHeelJ

Maybe you should slow down a little? Dogs on leashes and people walking side by side have a place on the trail just like cyclists...so if you're irritated by them then you may want to find another place to ride. Remember, the trail is for everyone. - Avid Dog Walker

well, i think you both have valid points that represent a huge thing that the beltline officials overlooked— there are people walking and people biking. the plan is eventually for the beltline to be a way for people to get around everyday, a pathway rather than a destination. so if you've got people biking, trying to commute to work, that's going to present a major problem. the biking and walking trails need to be separated. it isn't safe for either.

[bigstick]

Originally Posted by GTdan

Novare sure isn't wasting any time with 100 6th street. I ran by today and they are already putting up the tower crane.

We need an Oxblue camera up????

[cabasse]

I have no issue with two transit centers myself - plenty of other cities certainly handle it, even some here in the US. i think the downtown center is going to wind up being more commuter rail oriented if it ever gets off the ground. as long as they are both connected by rail somehow, that's all that matters.