City, state need commuter rail now
Please, Gov. Sonny Perdue, say "yes" to Transportation Commissioner Harold Linnenkohl's request to support a commuter rail line from Atlanta to south Clayton County by mid-2006 ["State pushes rail to Lovejoy," News, Dec. 12]. Linnenkohl advised that funding is in hand to begin work immediately on the 26-mile stretch, the first step toward a Macon line that has been studied for years.
Improving mobility and air quality is crucial to Georgia's quality of life and economic development. Our local and national transportation systems need a third leg to stand on, which is particularly evident since 9/11. This is one of the keys to decreasing our dependence on oil, especially foreign oil.
Train travel shouldn't be held to a different standard than road or air travel, which operate with far heavier government subsidies. If transit systems are expected to pay for themselves through fares, the same standard should be applied to tolls on I-285 or any other road.
Combined with high-speed interstate rail and improved inner-city transit -- such as the slam-dunk Belt Line proposal championed by Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard -- commuter rail will help solve the biggest problem currently facing Atlanta's transit system: In most cases today, it just doesn't get you where you need to go.
Buses -- even the latest panacea of "flex-trolleys" -- are only a small part of the solution, and it is proven that we cannot pave our way out of this situation. In fact, we paved our way into it.
But before the talk about new taxes to fund transit goes any further, the existing transportation funding formula should be re-evaluated. First, state motor fuel taxes should not be limited to use only on roads.
We can't afford not to address this problem. With every day that passes, a solution grows more expensive.
JEFF GREEN
College Park
Source: Letters to Horizon, ajc.com
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Living Large in Small Towns
The big-city lifestyle is moving to country towns, according to a recent ajc.com article. The piece documents the growing number of small downtowns ringing the metro Atlanta area that are being revitalized as vibrant communities, including my hometown of Hampton, Georgia where I and my family live/work/worship/play everyday. Hampton's resurrection began with my brother Wayne's downtown loft project. Read more...
For more info on Hampton visit www.hamptontown.info
The big-city lifestyle is moving to country towns, according to a recent ajc.com article. The piece documents the growing number of small downtowns ringing the metro Atlanta area that are being revitalized as vibrant communities, including my hometown of Hampton, Georgia where I and my family live/work/worship/play everyday. Hampton's resurrection began with my brother Wayne's downtown loft project. Read more...
For more info on Hampton visit www.hamptontown.info
Monday, December 29, 2003
Lovejoy Commuter Rail Funds: Use it or Lose it
State Transportation Commissioner Harold Linnenkohl wants to spend $106 million in federal and state funds already on hand to build a 26-mile commuter rail line from Atlanta to Lovejoy, with stops in Forest Park, Morrow and Jonesboro. It is part of a planned line to Griffin that at one time was scheduled to be opened this year.
The federal funds set aside for the Lovejoy line can't be spent elsewhere, and officials have about three years to use the money or Georgia loses it. Read more...
Source: Horizons, ajc.com
The debate that rages over spending the allocated Atlanta-Lovejoy commuter rail funds centers on ridership. State government officials seem to be paranoid over the acceptance of a commuter rail by southside residents. The truth is, many current southside residents are lukewarm over the issue. However, to understand the ridership issue, you must foresee what a commuter rail station in Lovejoy would spawn. If you've been to Lovejoy, you know it's one of the most sparsely populated areas of southside. Therein lies the beauty of it. Lovejoy is wide open for a world-class transit village to be constructed around the commuter station. Build a mixed-use village with residential, retail, and business at appropriate densities with sufficient connectivity to the station and they will come and these urban pioneers will ride.
Of course a typical response is: "we don't want them to come." Well they're coming whether you like it or not. Atlanta's population is projected to increase by millions within the next couple of decades. Lovejoy is in close proximity to one of the fastest growing counties in the nation and certain to have it's share of the influx of these new citizens. I live in Hampton, a Henry County town just south of Lovejoy that is already starting to show signs of explosive growth.
Have we learned nothing from the northside growth? Einstein defined insanity as the expectation of different results without changing the way things are done in the first place. Citizens and government that think the southside can accomodate growth by simply building more roads should wake up and smell the coming cloud of car exhaust.
Transit-oriented development if allowed to be properly built around the commuter rail station will put the ridership question to rest. Atlantic Station is being touted as the model of city building for the future and rightly so, when you understand how quickly the residential component is selling. Density and accessibility to transit are two of the primary reasons for the early success. Why is it so difficult to overlay the concepts that are making Atlantic Station so warmly embraced onto a project like Lovejoy Commuter Rail and a resulting transit village? I'm sure there's a Jim Jacoby or Kim King who could envision and execute on such a project if the current constraints were removed by a cooperative and visionary government.
This project could live or die on Governor Perdue's decision. If you agree with the observations above, contact Gov. Perdue today and make it clear that the Atlanta-Lovejoy Commuter Rail should happen.
State Transportation Commissioner Harold Linnenkohl wants to spend $106 million in federal and state funds already on hand to build a 26-mile commuter rail line from Atlanta to Lovejoy, with stops in Forest Park, Morrow and Jonesboro. It is part of a planned line to Griffin that at one time was scheduled to be opened this year.
The federal funds set aside for the Lovejoy line can't be spent elsewhere, and officials have about three years to use the money or Georgia loses it. Read more...
Source: Horizons, ajc.com
The debate that rages over spending the allocated Atlanta-Lovejoy commuter rail funds centers on ridership. State government officials seem to be paranoid over the acceptance of a commuter rail by southside residents. The truth is, many current southside residents are lukewarm over the issue. However, to understand the ridership issue, you must foresee what a commuter rail station in Lovejoy would spawn. If you've been to Lovejoy, you know it's one of the most sparsely populated areas of southside. Therein lies the beauty of it. Lovejoy is wide open for a world-class transit village to be constructed around the commuter station. Build a mixed-use village with residential, retail, and business at appropriate densities with sufficient connectivity to the station and they will come and these urban pioneers will ride.
Of course a typical response is: "we don't want them to come." Well they're coming whether you like it or not. Atlanta's population is projected to increase by millions within the next couple of decades. Lovejoy is in close proximity to one of the fastest growing counties in the nation and certain to have it's share of the influx of these new citizens. I live in Hampton, a Henry County town just south of Lovejoy that is already starting to show signs of explosive growth.
Have we learned nothing from the northside growth? Einstein defined insanity as the expectation of different results without changing the way things are done in the first place. Citizens and government that think the southside can accomodate growth by simply building more roads should wake up and smell the coming cloud of car exhaust.
Transit-oriented development if allowed to be properly built around the commuter rail station will put the ridership question to rest. Atlantic Station is being touted as the model of city building for the future and rightly so, when you understand how quickly the residential component is selling. Density and accessibility to transit are two of the primary reasons for the early success. Why is it so difficult to overlay the concepts that are making Atlantic Station so warmly embraced onto a project like Lovejoy Commuter Rail and a resulting transit village? I'm sure there's a Jim Jacoby or Kim King who could envision and execute on such a project if the current constraints were removed by a cooperative and visionary government.
This project could live or die on Governor Perdue's decision. If you agree with the observations above, contact Gov. Perdue today and make it clear that the Atlanta-Lovejoy Commuter Rail should happen.
Sunday, December 28, 2003
Urban Renaissance
Atlantic Station, the 138-acre urban village emerging from the industrial brownfield at the junction of I-75 and I-85 may become the model for city building in the 21st century. Read more...
Atlantic Station, the 138-acre urban village emerging from the industrial brownfield at the junction of I-75 and I-85 may become the model for city building in the 21st century. Read more...
Monday, December 22, 2003
Metro Atlanta's sprawl bad for the waistline
I very much enjoyed your article on unwalkable suburbs and mixed-use environments ["Health pros link sprawl with spread," Horizon, Nov. 17]. Having moved here from Munich, Germany, my husband and I were absolutely gobsmacked at the amount of sprawl vs. the areas in which to walk.
We lived in a village suburb that was 17 minutes from downtown Munich by the suburban rail.
In addition, I drove our car only once and walked and biked everywhere. The car was used only to go to Ikea or to areas that could not be easily reached by public transportation or for an extended holiday to France.
Exercise was part of the routine of the day, vs. having to find another precious hour or two out of an already busy day. Since moving to Atlanta, we've gained weight.
By accident, we discovered Silver Springs Village. Although marketed for the active adult, there are many folks moving there under the age of 55. Anyway, we immediately put money down on a house site exactly because we realized we would once again be able to walk or bicycle to the stores and utilize the Silver Comet Trail on a daily basis.
I am once again looking forward to biking to do my daily errands and getting exercise at the same time. There is definitely a link between obesity and suburban sprawl. I'm a victim of it.
LACY DOREMUS, Kennesaw
Source: Letters to Horizon, ajc.com
I very much enjoyed your article on unwalkable suburbs and mixed-use environments ["Health pros link sprawl with spread," Horizon, Nov. 17]. Having moved here from Munich, Germany, my husband and I were absolutely gobsmacked at the amount of sprawl vs. the areas in which to walk.
We lived in a village suburb that was 17 minutes from downtown Munich by the suburban rail.
In addition, I drove our car only once and walked and biked everywhere. The car was used only to go to Ikea or to areas that could not be easily reached by public transportation or for an extended holiday to France.
Exercise was part of the routine of the day, vs. having to find another precious hour or two out of an already busy day. Since moving to Atlanta, we've gained weight.
By accident, we discovered Silver Springs Village. Although marketed for the active adult, there are many folks moving there under the age of 55. Anyway, we immediately put money down on a house site exactly because we realized we would once again be able to walk or bicycle to the stores and utilize the Silver Comet Trail on a daily basis.
I am once again looking forward to biking to do my daily errands and getting exercise at the same time. There is definitely a link between obesity and suburban sprawl. I'm a victim of it.
LACY DOREMUS, Kennesaw
Source: Letters to Horizon, ajc.com
Friday, December 19, 2003
Smart Bikes are the next evolution of Public-Use Bicycles or PUBs. PUBs are a remarkable example of an increasingly successful and sustainable concept that is helping to solve many urban problems, such as vehicular pollution and traffic congestion, while providing an efficient means of transportation, decreasing the need for parking, and improving the local quality of life. With recent technological advances in smartcards, Smart Bikes are becoming a viable form of public transportation for the 21st century. Read the full paper here (PDF).
Source: "WILL 'SMART BIKES' SUCCEED AS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THE U.S.?"
Paper by Paul DeMaio and Jonathan Gifford
Source: "WILL 'SMART BIKES' SUCCEED AS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THE U.S.?"
Paper by Paul DeMaio and Jonathan Gifford
Thursday, December 18, 2003
BUILDING EXERCISE-FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS
According to a Dec. 14th Atlanta Journal-Constitution article,
"Inviting, tree-lined sidewalks. Speed bumps that make roads safe for
bikers. Zoning laws that inspire people to walk to work. This kind of
community might actually end the nation's obesity epidemic, and all the
attendant diseases that come with it. That's what experts in a variety
of fields are beginning to think, and they're joining forces to try and
create places to live that are also good for your health.
"'There's a new subfield, a marriage of urban planning and public
health,' says Reid Ewing, a research professor at the National Center
for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland. In the past five years,
experts have begun to realize that one's physical environment may be
directly linked to one's level of physical activity, he explains. That
connection may become critical as Americans grapple with a collective
weight problem that many now believe rivals smoking as a major public
health issue. As a matter of fact, more Americans are expected to die
from obesity-related causes than from smoking by the end of the decade,
according to the American Journal of Health Promotion..."
Source:
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/envr/515959.html#
Title: "Neighborhoods That Nudge People to Exercise"
Author: HealthDayNews
From: Centerlines, bikewalk.org
According to a Dec. 14th Atlanta Journal-Constitution article,
"Inviting, tree-lined sidewalks. Speed bumps that make roads safe for
bikers. Zoning laws that inspire people to walk to work. This kind of
community might actually end the nation's obesity epidemic, and all the
attendant diseases that come with it. That's what experts in a variety
of fields are beginning to think, and they're joining forces to try and
create places to live that are also good for your health.
"'There's a new subfield, a marriage of urban planning and public
health,' says Reid Ewing, a research professor at the National Center
for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland. In the past five years,
experts have begun to realize that one's physical environment may be
directly linked to one's level of physical activity, he explains. That
connection may become critical as Americans grapple with a collective
weight problem that many now believe rivals smoking as a major public
health issue. As a matter of fact, more Americans are expected to die
from obesity-related causes than from smoking by the end of the decade,
according to the American Journal of Health Promotion..."
Source:
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/envr/515959.html#
Title: "Neighborhoods That Nudge People to Exercise"
Author: HealthDayNews
From: Centerlines, bikewalk.org
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
URBAN CYCLING - TALE OF 2 CITIES
According to a Dec. 2003 Metropolis article, "Picture yourself
walking in a city where the predominant sounds are the rotational clink
of chains and the whir of spokes punctuated occasionally by bells
ringing or warning calls when you've drifted into a bicycle lane. You
can hear the sounds of conversation down the block, of doors onto the
street opening and closing, of footsteps. Now imagine standing on a
street where horns are blowing, brakes squealing, and revving engines
set off car alarms. As a pedestrian, you are forced to shout over this
sonic hurricane, to have your movements dictated by the rhythms and
noise of automobile traffic.
"The first city I described does exist, as my recent trips to
Copenhagen and Amsterdam proved. These locales are well-known for their
transportation policies that encourage bicycle ridership. The second
city also exists; it might be the town where you live, although I was
thinking specifically of my home, New York. After all, although it is
rife with non-vehicular traffic (pedestrians crowd the sidewalks and
subways run 24 hours a day), cars still dominate its streets. Yet this
monopoly on New York's blacktop may be changing. There are signs that
city officials are encouraging bicycle travel in the five boroughs,
and, officially or not, looking to European models for ways to
cultivate a cyclist-friendly atmosphere..."
Source:
http://www.metropolismag.com/html/urbanjournal_1203/urbancycling.html
Title: "Urban Cycling: A Tale of Two Cities"
Author: Kristi Cameron
From: Centerlines, bikewalk.org
According to a Dec. 2003 Metropolis article, "Picture yourself
walking in a city where the predominant sounds are the rotational clink
of chains and the whir of spokes punctuated occasionally by bells
ringing or warning calls when you've drifted into a bicycle lane. You
can hear the sounds of conversation down the block, of doors onto the
street opening and closing, of footsteps. Now imagine standing on a
street where horns are blowing, brakes squealing, and revving engines
set off car alarms. As a pedestrian, you are forced to shout over this
sonic hurricane, to have your movements dictated by the rhythms and
noise of automobile traffic.
"The first city I described does exist, as my recent trips to
Copenhagen and Amsterdam proved. These locales are well-known for their
transportation policies that encourage bicycle ridership. The second
city also exists; it might be the town where you live, although I was
thinking specifically of my home, New York. After all, although it is
rife with non-vehicular traffic (pedestrians crowd the sidewalks and
subways run 24 hours a day), cars still dominate its streets. Yet this
monopoly on New York's blacktop may be changing. There are signs that
city officials are encouraging bicycle travel in the five boroughs,
and, officially or not, looking to European models for ways to
cultivate a cyclist-friendly atmosphere..."
Source:
http://www.metropolismag.com/html/urbanjournal_1203/urbancycling.html
Title: "Urban Cycling: A Tale of Two Cities"
Author: Kristi Cameron
From: Centerlines, bikewalk.org
Friday, December 12, 2003
Home Buyers Sold on Trails
Trails help sell houses, according to a survey by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
The survey report, "Consumers’ Survey on Smart Choices for Home Buyers", released in April, shows that 36 percent of 2,000 recent home buyers designated walking, jogging or biking trails as either an “important” or “very important” community amenity. Trail availability outranked 16 other options including security, ball fields, golf courses, parks and access to shopping or business centers. Only highway access, at 44 percent, was specified as a top amenity by more of the home buyers surveyed. Read the full report in pdf here...
Source: www.railtrails.org
Most popular amenity for 55+ Home Buyers? Trails! Third most popular amenity = Public Transportation. Read the full article here...
Source: www.nahb.org
Live near a trail. Start here...
Trails help sell houses, according to a survey by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
The survey report, "Consumers’ Survey on Smart Choices for Home Buyers", released in April, shows that 36 percent of 2,000 recent home buyers designated walking, jogging or biking trails as either an “important” or “very important” community amenity. Trail availability outranked 16 other options including security, ball fields, golf courses, parks and access to shopping or business centers. Only highway access, at 44 percent, was specified as a top amenity by more of the home buyers surveyed. Read the full report in pdf here...
Source: www.railtrails.org
Most popular amenity for 55+ Home Buyers? Trails! Third most popular amenity = Public Transportation. Read the full article here...
Source: www.nahb.org
Live near a trail. Start here...
Thursday, December 11, 2003
Segway introduces the new p Series for dense environments
The p Series can carry a rider weighing up to 200 pounds, plus 10 pounds of gear in the optional Segway 12.0 Handlebar Bag. It can travel six to 10 miles on one charge, providing plenty of range for the average American's commute. Moving at up to 10 miles per hour the p Series can be used to connect commuters to transit options like buses, subways and railways. Its handlebar can be adjusted to the height of the rider, or lowered for quick loading into a car or taxi.
Visit http://www.segway.com/segway/pseries.html for more info...
The p Series can carry a rider weighing up to 200 pounds, plus 10 pounds of gear in the optional Segway 12.0 Handlebar Bag. It can travel six to 10 miles on one charge, providing plenty of range for the average American's commute. Moving at up to 10 miles per hour the p Series can be used to connect commuters to transit options like buses, subways and railways. Its handlebar can be adjusted to the height of the rider, or lowered for quick loading into a car or taxi.
Visit http://www.segway.com/segway/pseries.html for more info...
Tuesday, December 09, 2003
Four-county trail awaits Fulton's OK
Final approval of a master plan for a 98-mile trail system connecting four counties could come early next year with a vote by the Fulton County Commission.
The Coweta County Commission last week approved without discussion the concept of the trail, which would run along the Chattahoochee River from south Fulton to Coweta. Earlier, Douglas and Carroll counties OK'd the idea.
With an approved plan, local jurisdictions can seek federal, state and private construction money. The estimated cost of the trail is $26 million. It would connect state and county parks and private attractions.
It also would connect to the city of Palmetto and the three proposed villages in the Chattahoochee Hill Country development plan.
-- Kevin Duffy
Source: ajc.com, Ahead of the Curve
Final approval of a master plan for a 98-mile trail system connecting four counties could come early next year with a vote by the Fulton County Commission.
The Coweta County Commission last week approved without discussion the concept of the trail, which would run along the Chattahoochee River from south Fulton to Coweta. Earlier, Douglas and Carroll counties OK'd the idea.
With an approved plan, local jurisdictions can seek federal, state and private construction money. The estimated cost of the trail is $26 million. It would connect state and county parks and private attractions.
It also would connect to the city of Palmetto and the three proposed villages in the Chattahoochee Hill Country development plan.
-- Kevin Duffy
Source: ajc.com, Ahead of the Curve
Thursday, December 04, 2003
Converted Railways Revitalize Communities
American towns that once bustled with activity as trains rolled through slowed to a halt when passenger rail travel was largely replaced by cars and planes. Now those towns are being infused with new life, thanks to an effort to turn tracks into trails.
Source: FOXNews.com
American towns that once bustled with activity as trains rolled through slowed to a halt when passenger rail travel was largely replaced by cars and planes. Now those towns are being infused with new life, thanks to an effort to turn tracks into trails.
Source: FOXNews.com
Monday, December 01, 2003
Transit options discussions set
Metro Atlantans interested in new transit options intown will have a series of opportunities to voice their opinions starting this week.
Beginning Thursday at the Mozley Park Recreation Center in southwest Atlanta, a study team looking at proposals for the Belt Line and C-Loop transit lines will be available to explain the proposals and take public comment.
Public meetings, all in Atlanta, on the Belt Line and C-Loop proposals will be:
• Thursday, 7-9 p.m., Mozley Park Recreation Center, 1565 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
• Dec. 8, 7-9 p.m., Georgia Hill Facility, 250 Georgia Ave.
• Dec. 9, 7-9 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 90 Boulevard
• Dec. 11, 7-9 p.m., Ponce de Leon Public Library, 980 Ponce de Leon Ave.
• Dec. 16, 6-8 p.m., Peachtree Branch Library, 1315 Peachtree St.
Source: ajc.com
Metro Atlantans interested in new transit options intown will have a series of opportunities to voice their opinions starting this week.
Beginning Thursday at the Mozley Park Recreation Center in southwest Atlanta, a study team looking at proposals for the Belt Line and C-Loop transit lines will be available to explain the proposals and take public comment.
Public meetings, all in Atlanta, on the Belt Line and C-Loop proposals will be:
• Thursday, 7-9 p.m., Mozley Park Recreation Center, 1565 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
• Dec. 8, 7-9 p.m., Georgia Hill Facility, 250 Georgia Ave.
• Dec. 9, 7-9 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 90 Boulevard
• Dec. 11, 7-9 p.m., Ponce de Leon Public Library, 980 Ponce de Leon Ave.
• Dec. 16, 6-8 p.m., Peachtree Branch Library, 1315 Peachtree St.
Source: ajc.com
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