Atlanta Traffic

[cybele]

Well they have built so much stuff around Howell Mill you can barely move anymore. We wanted to go to that new Wal Mart but were trying to get a bite of lunch first but you couldn't even get in the Piccadilly. That whole place was a zoo. Are they going to do anything about that?

[shivtim]

MARTA buses 12 and 37 both go directly to the Howell Mill shopping center, and bus 137 comes within 1/4 mile of it.

[cybele]

Originally Posted by shivtim

MARTA buses 12 and 37 both go directly to the Howell Mill shopping center, and bus 137 comes within 1/4 mile of it.

Well, thanks, that's a good idea but the buses were pretty bogged down too however. Also we had to go the K&G and to two Home Depots because the first one didn't have what we needed so I'm not sure the bus would have worked. There is just too much traffic in that area.

[sabino86]

Originally Posted by cybele

Well they have built so much stuff around Howell Mill you can barely move anymore. We wanted to go to that new Wal Mart but were trying to get a bite of lunch first but you couldn't even get in the Piccadilly. That whole place was a zoo. Are they going to do anything about that?

I live right off Howell Mill (on Holmes Street) and it was nothing but horrendous gridlock yesterday. What really pisses me off is that 90 percent of that traffic is from outside the area...

[cybele]

Originally Posted by sabino86

What really pisses me off is that 90 percent of that traffic is from outside the area...

Well once you go letting them build a Piccadilly and a Super Wal Mart and a K&G in your neighborhood you are inviting people in, unless you just happen to have a whole lot of locals who need suits. If you want a quiet little neighborhood of your own I would recommend just keeping it down to a few mom & pop stores rather than these things that pull in people from miles around.

I said the same thing when they started putting in the outlet mall and whatnot around here, it's Katy bar the door.

[L41A]

Originally Posted by cybele

Well once you go letting them build a Piccadilly and a Super Wal Mart and a K&G in your neighborhood you are inviting people in, unless you just happen to have a whole lot of locals who need suits. If you want a quiet little neighborhood of your own I would recommend just keeping it down to a few mom & pop stores rather than these things that pull in people from miles around.

I said the same thing when they started putting in the outlet mall and whatnot around here, it's Katy bar the door.

Picadilly and K&G are not new to the neighborhood. They've been there a looong time....at least over a decade. The Super WalMart along with the other stores in that new shopping complex is what added to the traffic situation which wasn't that good anyway on Howell Mill especially around Bellemeade and Chattahoochee Avenue.

[cybele]

Well that's right, I'm just saying you can't put in big drawings like that and then complain that people from outside are showing up. They are intended to bring in people from far and wide.

[BlindFatSnake]

Cybele what's wrong with all those roadways?. Isn't traveling by car YOUR best mode of transporation? What's wrong with those available bus routes?... Oops, MARTA will be cutting even more bus routes - making it even more difficult for you and the anti-transit crew to navigate this hellish road traffic.

Don't built more stuff for higher density to support urban transit because mom and pop stores are doing just find by the neighbors' account. WOW... low density begets narrow roads, wouldn't you think...

How about the Beltline connecting all of those LOW density neighborhoods and taking some of the traffic off of the narrow little roads so you and the anti-transit set can drive peacefully on those little narrow roads.

I'm totally baffle by the flippy-flop on transit/roads and urban growth issues many of the forumers have when it comes to solving transporation issue in this DUMB ass state.

Your don't want MARTA or any alternative to roads, but you complain about traffic because either there are too many people out and about using your precious roads, or you're b*tching about the lack of bus routes and where did all these people come from... and why are they in MY way. You're in their way too........

[cybele]

Originally Posted by BlindFatSnake

Cybele what's wrong with all those roadways?. Isn't traveling by car YOUR best mode of transporation? What's wrong with those available bus routes?...

Well I don't know why in tarnation people keep getting me twisted up. I flat love the bus, I have been riding the things my whole life and am all for 'em.

What I'm saying is there's too many vehicles out there on Howell Mill Road and that includes the dang bus. And don't tell me how many vehicles they get off the road because a lot of them are 3/4 empty and a bunch of the people riding them don’t have a car anyway. What's worse is all those big trucks they have around there.

As to these particular bus routes just boil it down. Say you've got a couple who are not exactly decrepitated but who are not speed demons either and one of em uses a stick. Now before anyone goes off on how useless old people are and that’s just too bad and whatnot, remember it’s the oldsters who built the MARTA which is the only trains you’ve got and the Falcons and the Braves and downtown and your Georgia Tech and Georgia State and what-have-you that educates all these young people, not to mention Piedmont Park and the civic center and such.

Now this couple I’m talking about. How in the Sam Hill are they supposed to use the bus to get to the Walmart, two Home Depots, the K&G for a suit of clothes and the Piccadilly to get a bite to eat in a reasonable amount of time? They have built all this high traffic stuff in that one area without paying a lick of attention to how folks are supposed to get around? Most people in this town still drive and pay taxes so why aren’t they entitled to a little respect.

And if you want to talk about the hypocrites and so forth what about people who build these high density Wal-Mart’s and then tell people to get out of the neighborhood because you are crowding their streets. Well maybe they should have thought about that when they let the Walmart in the first place.

Your don't want MARTA or any alternative to roads, but you complain about traffic because either there are too many people out and about using your precious roads, or you're b*tching about the lack of bus routes and where did all these people come from... and why are they in MY way. You're in their way too........

Well we are the ones that built the MARTA in the first place 40 years ago and I'm willing to bet there's a whole bunch of these new Urbanist intown types who still drive all over creation whenever they please. If the new generation is so all fired hung up on the MARTA let them pony up the money and the gumption the older generation had and just go do it. What's holding you back?

[BlindFatSnake]

Just let Sonny Perdue put transit to a vote... And, you'll see how much the new urbanist types are willing to pony up the cash for improved transit connections.

I hope Atlanta becomes so gridlocked that traffic reports are routinely given on the weekends... That'll teach the idiots running this state into the ground.

Glad you liked my take on things...:

[Uptowngirl]

Originally Posted by BlindFatSnake

Just let Sonny Perdue put transit to a vote... And, you'll see how much the new urbanist types are willing to pony up the cash for improved transit connections.

I hope Atlanta becomes so gridlocked that traffic reports are routinely given on the weekends... That'll teach the idiots running this state into the ground.

Glad you liked my take on things...:

Problem with that is the ITP crowd and some OTP would vote for transit. The rest of the state would say, let Atlanta go to hell.

[cybele]

People talk like high speed rail is some kind of magic bullet but if you tried to run one down Howell Mill Road it would be an even bigger mess than it is.

[L41A]

Originally Posted by cybele

People talk like high speed rail is some kind of magic bullet but if you tried to run one down Howell Mill Road it would be an even bigger mess than it is.

C'mon now! Who said anything about running HSR down Howell Mill? That wouldn't be very intelligent. Some people just exaggerate too much. I would rather it stay like it is than become another Northside Drive or Buford Highway.

Having lived in Howell Mill area before, I am somewhat familiar with its environs. But the scenario that Cybele depicted is avoidable. Even if you started your trip at the Super WalMart and then decided to go Picadilly and you are old or couldn’t/don’t want to walk the block or two to Picadilly – you could avoid some of the traffic by avoiding left turns.

From WalMart, take a right on Howell Mill. Take another right on the exit lane to Northside Drive. Take another right on Bellemeade. Take another right before you get to Howell Mill at the Kroger Shopping Center and Voila – you are at Picadilly.

Now, you want to go to K&G from Picadilly – Don’t go to Howell Mill and make left. Go back to Bellemeade – make right. When you get to Bellemeade – don’t make a left on Howell Mill – but go straight. Once you cross Howell Mill, Bellemeade becomes Defoor. Go a couple of blocks, turn left --Voila – you are on Chattahoochee and in the midst of all the warehouses including K&G.

Traffic is bad on this stretch of Howell Mill. But it ain’t that bad. I prefer it in many ways over its pedestrian-unfriendly neighbor, Northside Drive.

[reet]

Originally Posted by L41A

C'mon now! Who said anything about running HSR down Howell Mill? That wouldn't be very intelligent. Some people just exaggerate too much. I would rather it stay like it is than become another Northside Drive or Buford Highway.

Having lived in Howell Mill area before, I am somewhat familiar with its environs. But the scenario that Cybele depicted is avoidable. Even if you started your trip at the Super WalMart and then decided to go Picadilly and you are old or couldn’t/don’t want to walk the block or two to Picadilly – you could avoid some of the traffic by avoiding left turns.

From WalMart, take a right on Howell Mill. Take another right on the exit lane to Northside Drive. Take another right on Bellemeade. Take another right before you get to Howell Mill at the Kroger Shopping Center and Voila – you are at Picadilly.

Now, you want to go to K&G from Picadilly – Don’t go to Howell Mill and make left. Go back to Bellemeade – make right. When you get to Bellemeade – don’t make a left on Howell Mill – but go straight. Once you cross Howell Mill, Bellemeade becomes Defoor. Go a couple of blocks, turn left --Voila – you are on Chattahoochee and in the midst of all the warehouses including K&G.

Traffic is bad on this stretch of Howell Mill. But it ain’t that bad. I prefer it in many ways over its pedestrian-unfriendly neighbor, Northside Drive.

I don't know whether to be amused or frustrated that, on the SKYSCRAPER FORUM, there is a discussion going on about how to drive from the Walmart to the Picadilly. Ahh, only in Atlanta.

I'll try to be positive and find amusement in all of this, but it's hard. I can't help but find a sad metaphor for the region's apathy/distaste for urbanism -- in favor of car-dependent suburbanism -- in this conversation.

[cybele]

Well you can go to New York City or Chicago which is full of skyscrapers and they have cars everywhere.

[L41A]

Originally Posted by reet

I don't know whether to be amused or frustrated that, on the SKYSCRAPER FORUM, there is a discussion going on about how to drive from the Walmart to the Picadilly. Ahh, only in Atlanta.

I'll try to be positive and find amusement in all of this, but it's hard. I can't help but find a sad metaphor for the region's apathy/distaste for urbanism -- in favor of car-dependent suburbanism -- in this conversation.

It ain’t that deep.

Most likely no one postings/rantings/analysis, etc on SKYSCRAPER FORUM is going to solve any “apathy/distate for urbanism” or any social ill that one may perceive there to be in Atlanta or anywhere in the world. I find the site not to be that serious of no fault of its own. Decisions about urbanism aren’t going to be solved by random postings on the web.

My post was not speaking of urbanism. I too get frustrated, amused, etc on the SKYSCRAPER FORUM about many posts but that’s partly why I read it. You must not read SKYSCRAPER FORUM much. Discussions run the gamut on any number of topics.

This particular one is not about discussing how to drive but about traffic on Howell Mill. Cybele, the originator of the post, spoke of a particular experience she encountered. Anyone reading it may have formed any number of opinions about it. My opinion is that it was provocative like many of her posts. I would gather from the responses to her thread that others think the same. I only spoke to her experience because of my familiarity of the place.

[cybele]

Originally Posted by L41A

Cybele, the originator of the post, spoke of a particular experience she encountered. Anyone reading it may have formed any number of opinions about it. My opinion is that it was provocative like many of her posts. I would gather from the responses to her thread that others think the same. I only spoke to her experience because of my familiarity of the place.

Well that's he and his if you don't mind.

[L41A]

Originally Posted by cybele

Well that's he and his if you don't mind.

OK, I thought you were female. Of course, I don't know you. Although you do share many 'intriguing' personal stories on the forum.

I guess the feminine handle of "Cybele" threw me off.

[reet]

Originally Posted by L41A

It ain’t that deep.

Most likely no one postings/rantings/analysis, etc on SKYSCRAPER FORUM is going to solve any “apathy/distate for urbanism” or any social ill that one may perceive there to be in Atlanta or anywhere in the world. I find the site not to be that serious of no fault of its own. Decisions about urbanism aren’t going to be solved by random postings on the web.

My post was not speaking of urbanism. I too get frustrated, amused, etc on the SKYSCRAPER FORUM about many posts but that’s partly why I read it. You must not read SKYSCRAPER FORUM much. Discussions run the gamut on any number of topics.

This particular one is not about discussing how to drive but about traffic on Howell Mill. Cybele, the originator of the post, spoke of a particular experience she encountered. Anyone reading it may have formed any number of opinions about it. My opinion is that it was provocative like many of her posts. I would gather from the responses to her thread that others think the same. I only spoke to her experience because of my familiarity of the place.

OK, I'm probably stretching too far in finding serious metaphors. But, come on -- posting about driving to the Walmart and the Picadilly on the Skyscraper Forum? There's humor in that scenario. Sincerely sorry you can't share in the laugh. I had a nice giggle.

[cybele]

Originally Posted by L41A

I guess the feminine handle of "Cybele" threw me off.

Well I sure never heard of a woman named Seymour.