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
Saturday, November 29, 2003
Livable Centers Initiatives in Jonesboro and Forest Park staying on track
The purpose is to make the downtown area in each municipality more attractive with an emphasis on connecting homes, shops and offices and encouraging pedestrian traffic with more access to public transportation options. Read more...
Source: www.news-daily.com, Jonesboro, Forest Park working on LCI
The purpose is to make the downtown area in each municipality more attractive with an emphasis on connecting homes, shops and offices and encouraging pedestrian traffic with more access to public transportation options. Read more...
Source: www.news-daily.com, Jonesboro, Forest Park working on LCI
Friday, November 28, 2003
"You always told me to stay off the freeway. You told me it was suicide."
- Trinity to Morpheus, The Matrix Reloaded
42,000+ Americans are killed every year in auto accidents. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that motor-vehicle accidents in the United States cause one death every 11 minutes, and an injury every 18 seconds. According to environmentalist Andrew Kimbrell, 90 million Americans have sustained disabling injuries in auto accidents, while more than 2.5 million Americans have died violent deaths on our highways. This represents more than four times the 641,691 Americans killed in World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam combined. This is the equivalent of a fully loaded 747 crashing every 3 days and killing every passenger, week after week, year after year! If this many planes did crash, the airline industry would be shut down (as it was on September 11), but little is done about the deadly automobile situation. WORLDWIDE, there are more than 2,500 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each day from traffic accidents. According to the World Health Organization, over 1 million people die each year in motor vehicle accidents.
Source: newurbanism.org
- Trinity to Morpheus, The Matrix Reloaded
42,000+ Americans are killed every year in auto accidents. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that motor-vehicle accidents in the United States cause one death every 11 minutes, and an injury every 18 seconds. According to environmentalist Andrew Kimbrell, 90 million Americans have sustained disabling injuries in auto accidents, while more than 2.5 million Americans have died violent deaths on our highways. This represents more than four times the 641,691 Americans killed in World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam combined. This is the equivalent of a fully loaded 747 crashing every 3 days and killing every passenger, week after week, year after year! If this many planes did crash, the airline industry would be shut down (as it was on September 11), but little is done about the deadly automobile situation. WORLDWIDE, there are more than 2,500 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each day from traffic accidents. According to the World Health Organization, over 1 million people die each year in motor vehicle accidents.
Source: newurbanism.org
Thursday, November 27, 2003
A feasibility study of running commuter rail between Canton and Marietta
should be finished before the end of November. Read more...
Source: Ahead of the Curve, Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA - Nov 23, 2003
should be finished before the end of November. Read more...
Source: Ahead of the Curve, Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA - Nov 23, 2003
Monday, November 24, 2003
A transit plan that breaks all kinds of molds
"Creative Loafing" reports on several factors contributing to the unprecedented traction the BeltLine Proposal is gaining, including:
> Innovative financing
> The growth of Intown Atlanta residential population
> Potential for stimulation of extensive brownfield development
> A magnet for federal funding
> Reduction in auto-dependence
Read the feature story here...
Source: Creative Loafing Online, "This is no loopy loop"
To learn more about the BeltLine, go here...
"Creative Loafing" reports on several factors contributing to the unprecedented traction the BeltLine Proposal is gaining, including:
> Innovative financing
> The growth of Intown Atlanta residential population
> Potential for stimulation of extensive brownfield development
> A magnet for federal funding
> Reduction in auto-dependence
Read the feature story here...
Source: Creative Loafing Online, "This is no loopy loop"
To learn more about the BeltLine, go here...
Sunday, November 23, 2003
"The typical American male devotes more than 1,600 hours a year to his car. He sits in it while it goes and while it stands idling. He parks it and searches for it. He earns the money to put down on it and to meet the monthly installments. He works to pay for petrol, taxes, insurance, tolls and tickets. He spends four of his sixteen hours on the road or gathering his resources for it...The model American puts in 1,600 hours to get 7,500 miles: less than five miles per hour."
- Ivan Illich, "Energy and Equity," 1973
- Ivan Illich, "Energy and Equity," 1973
Saturday, November 22, 2003
Pedestrian-Friendly Urban Areas Drawing Families Back to the City
Frustrated with suburban isolation, resentful of constant driving everywhere in bad traffic and troubled by sedentary lifestyle health effects, more and more families are moving to town centers and older neighborhoods, where they "make sidewalks, bike trails, and commuter lines their preferred thoroughfares," writes Boston Globe correspondent Matt Viser, citing 2000 Census data showing that fewer than eight percent of residents in many Boston suburbs walk or use transit, while 45 percent of Bostonians do so at least five days a week.
Source: The Boston Globe
Frustrated with suburban isolation, resentful of constant driving everywhere in bad traffic and troubled by sedentary lifestyle health effects, more and more families are moving to town centers and older neighborhoods, where they "make sidewalks, bike trails, and commuter lines their preferred thoroughfares," writes Boston Globe correspondent Matt Viser, citing 2000 Census data showing that fewer than eight percent of residents in many Boston suburbs walk or use transit, while 45 percent of Bostonians do so at least five days a week.
Source: The Boston Globe
Friday, November 21, 2003
"Once upon a time, walking and biking to school was commonplace; now it is a rarity. The Federal Highway Administration has reported that roughly half of all 5 to 18 year olds either walked or biked to school in 1969. The journey to school has changed dramatically in the intervening years. By 2001, nearly 9 out of 10 children between the ages of 5 and 15 were driven to school by either a parent or a bus driver, adding additional traffic to the morning commute and negatively affecting communities around schools. In Marin County, California, for example, as much as 21 to 27 percent of the county's morning traffic is made up of parents driving their children to school." Read more...
Source: bikewalk.org, Introduction to Safe Routes to School Initiative
Source: bikewalk.org, Introduction to Safe Routes to School Initiative
Monday, November 17, 2003
Newest Section of Silver Comet Opens. PATH has completed most of the finishing touches on the next mile of the Silver Comet Trail. This new section is located between the Nathan Dean Sports Complex and U.S. Highway 278 near Buy Low Building Supply. This segment is unique in that it has a 450-foot-long boardwalk across a marsh. Read more...
Source: The Rockmart Journal
Source: The Rockmart Journal
Friday, November 14, 2003
LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — If Gwinnett County gets money from a state grant, another key component to the county’s highest greenway priority will fall into place.
Commissioners are expected today to OK applications for transportation enhancement grants to build a portion of the Ivy Creek Greenway and to begin the design of a greenway along the Yellow River. Read more...
Source: Gwinnet Daily Post Online.
Commissioners are expected today to OK applications for transportation enhancement grants to build a portion of the Ivy Creek Greenway and to begin the design of a greenway along the Yellow River. Read more...
Source: Gwinnet Daily Post Online.
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
Ah, the joys of living in a walkable small town. Yesterday, after work, I closed my Main Street real estate office and walked south to the newly opened "For You Only" Antiques and Collectibles. I passed two recently opened businesses along the way. Locals envision a time when many needs, services and conveniences can be found within a short stroll of home.
I met my wife, Liana, and several neighbors who had walked over from our loft homes, just off of Main Street. Afterwards Liana walked down the street to join a few neighbors for a Bible Study.
One day residents will be able to walk to the Commuter Rail Station and connect with transit villages within the city of Atlanta and other walkable small towns along the way.
Visit us online at www.hamptontown.info.
I met my wife, Liana, and several neighbors who had walked over from our loft homes, just off of Main Street. Afterwards Liana walked down the street to join a few neighbors for a Bible Study.
One day residents will be able to walk to the Commuter Rail Station and connect with transit villages within the city of Atlanta and other walkable small towns along the way.
Visit us online at www.hamptontown.info.
Friday, November 07, 2003
MORE THAN A NOD FOR TOD
While everyone from urban planners to environmentalists and community activists are singing the praises of transit-oriented development, getting TODs actually built is still a difficult task. Livable Places has put together a brief fact sheet with a number of incentives cities and counties can provide to assist developers of TODs and encourage the creation of urban transit villages.
Full story: Encouraging Transit Villages
Source: Livable Places, Nov 05, 2003.
While everyone from urban planners to environmentalists and community activists are singing the praises of transit-oriented development, getting TODs actually built is still a difficult task. Livable Places has put together a brief fact sheet with a number of incentives cities and counties can provide to assist developers of TODs and encourage the creation of urban transit villages.
Full story: Encouraging Transit Villages
Source: Livable Places, Nov 05, 2003.
Saturday, October 25, 2003
THE SOUP PEDDLER
David Ansel, a.k.a. the Soup Peddler, a bicycle-deliverer-of-homemade-soup American folk hero, believes strongly in putting one's money where one's mouth is, so to speak. That's why he expends the extra effort to bicycle-deliver the soup to his customers. Lots of folks talk big about being environmentalists, but when it comes to putting some elbow grease to it, the crowd gets a lot smaller.
The bicycle is a way of demonstrating that business can be done with conscience and that a little physical exertion for the cause of the environment never killed anyone. The bicycle is also a nod to responsible urban planning, showing that livable, connected neighborhoods can support human-scale, environmentally-responsible efforts such as this.
You can use the Soup Peddler's Pedaling Worksheet to see more about how to make bicycling part of your daily lifestyle.
Although his comments are specific to his hometown of Austin, they apply just as well to Atlanta.
David Ansel, a.k.a. the Soup Peddler, a bicycle-deliverer-of-homemade-soup American folk hero, believes strongly in putting one's money where one's mouth is, so to speak. That's why he expends the extra effort to bicycle-deliver the soup to his customers. Lots of folks talk big about being environmentalists, but when it comes to putting some elbow grease to it, the crowd gets a lot smaller.
The bicycle is a way of demonstrating that business can be done with conscience and that a little physical exertion for the cause of the environment never killed anyone. The bicycle is also a nod to responsible urban planning, showing that livable, connected neighborhoods can support human-scale, environmentally-responsible efforts such as this.
You can use the Soup Peddler's Pedaling Worksheet to see more about how to make bicycling part of your daily lifestyle.
Although his comments are specific to his hometown of Austin, they apply just as well to Atlanta.
Friday, October 24, 2003
A DESIRE NAMED STREETCAR
Organizers say the idea of running streetcars from downtown Atlanta to the Buckhead shopping and entertainment district has been so popular that they're bypassing plans for a preliminary study and moving straight to more detailed feasibility research.
Read more... Source: WSBTV.com
Organizers say the idea of running streetcars from downtown Atlanta to the Buckhead shopping and entertainment district has been so popular that they're bypassing plans for a preliminary study and moving straight to more detailed feasibility research.
Read more... Source: WSBTV.com
Friday, October 10, 2003
Although significant alternative transportation choices are still largely a dream in the minds of a relatively small critical mass of the US population, it's not a utopic, fantasy-drenched vision of what could be. Take a trip to Germany, for example. In places like Munich you will find a harmonious blend of biking, walking, trains, trams, trolleys, and buses as the preferred methods of transportation. And they manufacture some of the finest automobiles on the planet! Even so, they build their towns and infrastructure so that people have a choice. I lived in Augsburg, a smaller version of Munich, and experienced this lifestyle firsthand. Having done so makes it hard to shake the vision of what our American cities and towns can become.
If you've never had the pleasure of living in such a place you can catch a glimpse of the dream at TransportationPlanet.com, featuring an online slideshow of Transportation in Munich.
If you've never had the pleasure of living in such a place you can catch a glimpse of the dream at TransportationPlanet.com, featuring an online slideshow of Transportation in Munich.
Wednesday, October 08, 2003
TRAIL PROJECTS ABOUND IN DEKALB
Everything is turning up green in DeKalb County! Fueled by a green-friendly administration and the PATH Greenway Trail Master Plan, trails and linear parks are planned and underway in every quadrant of the county. The county's greenway trail mileage will more than double this year and is likely to double again next year as well. The fully realized master plan will provide 124 miles of alternate commuter routes and recreational opportunities! Go here for the full scoop.
Everything is turning up green in DeKalb County! Fueled by a green-friendly administration and the PATH Greenway Trail Master Plan, trails and linear parks are planned and underway in every quadrant of the county. The county's greenway trail mileage will more than double this year and is likely to double again next year as well. The fully realized master plan will provide 124 miles of alternate commuter routes and recreational opportunities! Go here for the full scoop.
Monday, October 06, 2003
THE "BUC" STOPS THERE. GO ON AND TAKE A FREE RIDE!
The "Buc" will stop in Buckhead starting in late November.
The newly selected name for the free shuttle bus service from MARTA's Buckhead and Lenox stations to major hotels, malls and office buildings was chosen for its simplicity, and because it's an acronym for Buckhead's Uptown Connection.
The service, to be operated by the Norcross branch of national bus company Coach USA, will use 10 compressed-natural-gas buses, each seating 22 passengers. It will operate Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Advocates hope it will cut traffic in Buckhead's business district.
Source: ajc.com::Ahead of the Curve
The "Buc" will stop in Buckhead starting in late November.
The newly selected name for the free shuttle bus service from MARTA's Buckhead and Lenox stations to major hotels, malls and office buildings was chosen for its simplicity, and because it's an acronym for Buckhead's Uptown Connection.
The service, to be operated by the Norcross branch of national bus company Coach USA, will use 10 compressed-natural-gas buses, each seating 22 passengers. It will operate Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Advocates hope it will cut traffic in Buckhead's business district.
Source: ajc.com::Ahead of the Curve
Monday, September 29, 2003
WAYS TO USE BIKES AND TRANSIT TOGETHER.
Suburban to City Commute: Bike commute downhill into town, take the train or bus home. Or, keep a bike parked downtown so that you have quick access to more places to eat or shop at lunch time. Avoid rainy weather, bringing your bike with you on transit rather than getting wet. Bike from home to the bus or train, and then continue on with your commute. When you get to your destination, you will have your bike to help you continue on with your trip.
Suburban to Suburban Commute: Bicycle to the train. Take the train or bus as close as you can to your workplace. Then bicycle to your destination.
Cross rivers and lakes: Many bridges do not have bicycle or pedestrian access. Bringing your bike onboard a bus, train, or ferry can be the answer.
Access National Parks: Many National Parks now have buses with bike racks. Having a bike allows you to cover more ground than walking. Acadia National Park and the Grand Canyon are good examples.
Carpooling: Ride with a friend to their worksite and then bicycle the rest of the way to work.
Use two bikes: If you don't want to, or can't bring your bike on transit, then keep an inexpensive bike parked at each end of your transit ride.
Use a folding bike: Folding bikes are small and can be carried onto almost all vehicles. This is especially helpful on airplanes and on Amtrak, which limits bicycle access on many trains (but has great access on others, such as the Vermonter and route along the Pacific Ocean).
Traveling: For someone visiting a city on business, a bike is a great way to get to a nearby park trail.
Source: http://www.bikemap.com/transit/reasons.htm
Suburban to City Commute: Bike commute downhill into town, take the train or bus home. Or, keep a bike parked downtown so that you have quick access to more places to eat or shop at lunch time. Avoid rainy weather, bringing your bike with you on transit rather than getting wet. Bike from home to the bus or train, and then continue on with your commute. When you get to your destination, you will have your bike to help you continue on with your trip.
Suburban to Suburban Commute: Bicycle to the train. Take the train or bus as close as you can to your workplace. Then bicycle to your destination.
Cross rivers and lakes: Many bridges do not have bicycle or pedestrian access. Bringing your bike onboard a bus, train, or ferry can be the answer.
Access National Parks: Many National Parks now have buses with bike racks. Having a bike allows you to cover more ground than walking. Acadia National Park and the Grand Canyon are good examples.
Carpooling: Ride with a friend to their worksite and then bicycle the rest of the way to work.
Use two bikes: If you don't want to, or can't bring your bike on transit, then keep an inexpensive bike parked at each end of your transit ride.
Use a folding bike: Folding bikes are small and can be carried onto almost all vehicles. This is especially helpful on airplanes and on Amtrak, which limits bicycle access on many trains (but has great access on others, such as the Vermonter and route along the Pacific Ocean).
Traveling: For someone visiting a city on business, a bike is a great way to get to a nearby park trail.
Source: http://www.bikemap.com/transit/reasons.htm
Friday, September 26, 2003
WILL AMERICANS FOLLOW THE EUROPEAN EXAMPLE?
According to a Sept. 15th Newsweeek Online column by Gersh Kuntzman, "You may have heard that America is fat. You may have heard that nearly two-thirds of us are overweight and 31 percent of us are obese. You may have even heard last week that the Department of Agriculture will soon decrease the number of calories a person should eat every day, an admission that there's no point in designing diets for the healthy average American when the healthy average American no longer exists...
"Americans bike and walk far less than their European counterparts (what article about American obesity would be complete without a gratuitous comparison with good ol' Europe?). In the U.S., only 7 percent of all trips outside the home are made by walking or biking, compared to 39 percent in Sweden (hey, it's cold there), 34 percent in Switzerland (hey, it's hilly there) and 46 percent in The Netherlands (hey, it's low and swampy there)..."
Source: http://www.msnbc.com/news/967089.asp?0cv=HA00
NCBW's C-E-N-T-E-R-L-I-N-E-S
According to a Sept. 15th Newsweeek Online column by Gersh Kuntzman, "You may have heard that America is fat. You may have heard that nearly two-thirds of us are overweight and 31 percent of us are obese. You may have even heard last week that the Department of Agriculture will soon decrease the number of calories a person should eat every day, an admission that there's no point in designing diets for the healthy average American when the healthy average American no longer exists...
"Americans bike and walk far less than their European counterparts (what article about American obesity would be complete without a gratuitous comparison with good ol' Europe?). In the U.S., only 7 percent of all trips outside the home are made by walking or biking, compared to 39 percent in Sweden (hey, it's cold there), 34 percent in Switzerland (hey, it's hilly there) and 46 percent in The Netherlands (hey, it's low and swampy there)..."
Source: http://www.msnbc.com/news/967089.asp?0cv=HA00
NCBW's C-E-N-T-E-R-L-I-N-E-S
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Southface Energy Institute's Sustainable Atlanta Roundtable theme for October 3 is Intown Transit & Smart Growth: The Beltline brings mobility and redevelopment to Atlanta. The Beltline is quickly becoming a ground-breaking collaboration between private and public nterests.
Come to the October Roundtable to learn why this project has been embraced by neighborhood associations, community leaders and other groups interested in improving Atlanta's quality of life.
Go here for more info and to RSVP.
Sunday, September 14, 2003
New Belt Line Movie available for online viewing
Cathy Woolard previewed a short video on the Belt Line at the Rail~Volution conference, last week. The work, narrated by Jane Fonda, represents an outstanding multi-media presentation for envisioning and educational purposes. I found the technique of super-imposing operational light rail cars over the currently kudzu-covered tracks to be a particulary effective piece of imagineering. View the video here.
Cathy Woolard previewed a short video on the Belt Line at the Rail~Volution conference, last week. The work, narrated by Jane Fonda, represents an outstanding multi-media presentation for envisioning and educational purposes. I found the technique of super-imposing operational light rail cars over the currently kudzu-covered tracks to be a particulary effective piece of imagineering. View the video here.
Thursday, September 11, 2003
Expansion of Atlanta's Greenway Trail network continues in Dekalb County. Construction began Monday on a 4-mile multiuse trail that will connect downtown Lithonia with Stonecrest Mall and Arabia Mountain.
This phase of the greenway trail will cost about $1.6 million in mostly federal funds and is expected to be completed within about six months with PATH Foundation providing construction services.
Future phases will link Arabia Mountain to Panola Mountain and, ultimately, to Rockdale County and will incorporate ample natural borders providing for an outstanding functional linear park for the area.
This phase of the greenway trail will cost about $1.6 million in mostly federal funds and is expected to be completed within about six months with PATH Foundation providing construction services.
Future phases will link Arabia Mountain to Panola Mountain and, ultimately, to Rockdale County and will incorporate ample natural borders providing for an outstanding functional linear park for the area.
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Monday, September 08, 2003
Resurrection of the Macon-to-Atlanta Commuter Rail
A long-planned commuter rail line between Atlanta and Macon will get $25 million in new funding this week, with most of the money going toward real estate for train stations and to improve road crossings.
The rail investments surprised some because Gov. Perdue had backed off his predecessor’s vision for commuter rail lines as a fix to Atlanta’s traffic problems.
The announcement suggests that plans for a passenger-rail connection between Macon and Atlanta are not dead, as had been speculated earlier this year.
The town of Hampton, which sits mid-way between Macon and Atlanta, represents an excellent opportunity for transit oriented real estate investment. Visit www.burkesisco.com for currently available "Rail" Estate.
Saturday, September 06, 2003
Redemption of the Arc
The rights-of-way for a proposed super highway that once caused deep divisions could now bring communities together.
State Representative Jan Jones (R- District 38) announced August 8th that she is forming a task force to create a 60-mile long greenway trail along the Northern Arc highway route. The plan will include greenspace on either side of a multi-use greenway trail extending through four north metro counties, including Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth and Gwinnett.
Follow the links for more info:
Greenway Trail may grow in the path Arc has vacated
Northern Arc as greenway proposed
Northern Arc greenway announcement
Green space in the form of Greenway Trails has been shown to raise the values of surrounding property, as it raises the quality of life.
Live near a Trail. Visit www.trailestate.com.
Friday, August 29, 2003
Rail~Volution promises to live up to it's name with solutions like Colorado Railcar's DMU Self-Propelled Commuter Railcar to be demonstrated in Atlanta this September. This railcar with it's ability to run in mixed freight service makes Commuter Rail initiatives like Atlanta-to-Athens and Macon-to-Atlanta a reality now. Read more about the rail car here. The railcar will be on display at Rail~Volution from September 11 - 15 with running demos on the 12th and 13th.
All Aboard the future of commuter rail!
Monday, August 25, 2003
Belt Line Documentary to debut at Rail-Volution Conference
Respected Atlanta filmmaker Bill VanDerKloot is making a short film documenting the Belt Line transit project. The popular Belt Line will place trolley-like transit with bicycling and walking trails along railroad corridors that form a loop around central Atlanta. The film will be premiered during the Rail-Volution Conference, an annual gathering for smart growth advocates from across the country. It is being held in Atlanta beginning Thursday, September 11 through Sunday, September 14. The film will be shown during lunch on Friday the 12th. Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard will also be talking about the Belt Line during a session that morning. You can find out more details on the conference at www.railvolution.com.
Respected Atlanta filmmaker Bill VanDerKloot is making a short film documenting the Belt Line transit project. The popular Belt Line will place trolley-like transit with bicycling and walking trails along railroad corridors that form a loop around central Atlanta. The film will be premiered during the Rail-Volution Conference, an annual gathering for smart growth advocates from across the country. It is being held in Atlanta beginning Thursday, September 11 through Sunday, September 14. The film will be shown during lunch on Friday the 12th. Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard will also be talking about the Belt Line during a session that morning. You can find out more details on the conference at www.railvolution.com.
Thursday, August 14, 2003
Vote for street cars on Peachtree Street. Then read Maria Saporta's AJC Horizon article, Parking Magnate Leads Streetcar Push.
Sunday, August 10, 2003
My love affair with pedestrian-friendly villages began while living in Europe for two years. The climax came when I visited the Isle of Capri, off the coast of Naples, Italy. The beauty and charm of this island is hard to describe. How exciting to discover the wonderful "A Quiet Week-end in Capri", a unique sightseeing and cultural tour/PC Adventure game-in-one. This award-winning, ingenious approach to tourist promotion features over 4500 photos of the stunning destination delivered in an adventure game format. (Adventure games are a game genre that has become a favorite pass-time of my wife and I, preferring the cerebral challenge of the puzzle-driven plot advancement to a typical night of bad TV).
Wednesday, August 06, 2003
So conclusive is the data correlating the U.S. obesity rates and other affluenza with the modern built environment that the CDC has responded with the Active Communities Environment Initiative (ACEs). The goal is to promote walking, bicycling, and the development of accessible recreation facilities as an integral part of our communities. These data suggest characteristics of our communities such as proximity of facilities, street design, density of housing, availability of public transit and of pedestrian and bicycle facilities play a significant role in promoting or discouraging physical activity. One specific action plan calls for Promoting Physical Activity Through Trails.
I believe a key reason the Belt Line has resonated throughout the Atlanta Community is that people are responding to the idea of Connected Carfree Communities. A Rails-with-Trails Solution like the Belt Line certainly accomplishes this goal, but the real revolution will begin when we realize that we don't need to wait on the ponderous governmental processes inherent with rail initiatives in the Metro Atlanta area.
As one example, the Silver Comet is already a linear Belt Line that will accomodate live, work, and play all along it's length. The trail is already there and being used by thousands, primarily for recreation. It's just waiting for the ACEs to be built in the wake of the realization that it represents a commuter solution, as well.
Want to live near the trail? Begin the adventure at www.trailestate.com.
I believe a key reason the Belt Line has resonated throughout the Atlanta Community is that people are responding to the idea of Connected Carfree Communities. A Rails-with-Trails Solution like the Belt Line certainly accomplishes this goal, but the real revolution will begin when we realize that we don't need to wait on the ponderous governmental processes inherent with rail initiatives in the Metro Atlanta area.
As one example, the Silver Comet is already a linear Belt Line that will accomodate live, work, and play all along it's length. The trail is already there and being used by thousands, primarily for recreation. It's just waiting for the ACEs to be built in the wake of the realization that it represents a commuter solution, as well.
Want to live near the trail? Begin the adventure at www.trailestate.com.
Sunday, August 03, 2003
Joe Morris has put together a nice little report of MARTA Station proximity restaurants, arts & entertainment venues, pubs, etc. at his "What's Near MARTA Stations?" page.
What we could really use is a resource like StationMasters Online, A Comprehensive Guide to MetroRail Station Neighborhoods in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area. This site is produced by Bowring Cartographic and features a MetroRail System Map with hyperlinks to proximity maps of each station.
What we could really use is a resource like StationMasters Online, A Comprehensive Guide to MetroRail Station Neighborhoods in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area. This site is produced by Bowring Cartographic and features a MetroRail System Map with hyperlinks to proximity maps of each station.
Saturday, August 02, 2003
Friday, August 01, 2003
Studies abound proving that many road expansion projects aren't solving traffic congestion -- they are actually inducing it!
Let's curb this wasteful exercise in futility...
Let's curb this wasteful exercise in futility...
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT is the exciting new fast growing trend in creating vibrant, livable communities. Also known as transit oriented design, or TOD for short, it is the creation of compact, walkable communities centered around high quality train systems. This makes it possible to live a higher quality life without complete dependence on a car for mobility and survival.
FACTORS DRIVING THE TREND
-Rapidly growing, mind-numbing traffic congestion nation-wide
-Growing distaste for suburbia and fry-pit strip development
-Growing desire for quality urban lifestyle
-Growing desire for more walkable lifestyles away from cars
-Changes in family structures: more singles, empty-nesters, etc
-Growing national support for Smart Growth
-New focus of Federal policy
Read more...
FACTORS DRIVING THE TREND
-Rapidly growing, mind-numbing traffic congestion nation-wide
-Growing distaste for suburbia and fry-pit strip development
-Growing desire for quality urban lifestyle
-Growing desire for more walkable lifestyles away from cars
-Changes in family structures: more singles, empty-nesters, etc
-Growing national support for Smart Growth
-New focus of Federal policy
Read more...
Monday, July 28, 2003
Confirmed registration for Rail~Volution Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, September 11-14.
Rail~Volution is about "Building Livable Communities with Transit." The 2003 Conference "will feature top innovators from all walks of life. They will challenge us to look for new ways to make our communities better places to live, work and play by incorporating transit into the basic fabric of our everyday lives."
Get more info and register online at www.railvolution.com.
Rail~Volution is about "Building Livable Communities with Transit." The 2003 Conference "will feature top innovators from all walks of life. They will challenge us to look for new ways to make our communities better places to live, work and play by incorporating transit into the basic fabric of our everyday lives."
Get more info and register online at www.railvolution.com.
Sunday, July 27, 2003
BeltLine superior to more road-building
The BeltLine is the biggest "no brainer" for solving congestion problems and spurring brownfield development Atlanta has ever seen. Anyone suggesting the money be allocated to further road work should be made to run through a belt line of the "whuppin' " kind.
~ Burke Sisco
- As quoted in Letters to Horizon, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 07/21/03 in response to Connecting the Dots: Potential of proposed 22-mile Belt Line transit loop excites proponents.
By Julie Hairston, Atlanta Journal Constitution, July 14, 2003
~ Burke Sisco
- As quoted in Letters to Horizon, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 07/21/03 in response to Connecting the Dots: Potential of proposed 22-mile Belt Line transit loop excites proponents.
By Julie Hairston, Atlanta Journal Constitution, July 14, 2003
"You always told me to stay off the freeway. You told me it was suicide."
- Trinity to Morpheus, The Matrix Reloaded
The machines are taking over our cities. And the byproducts of our auto-dominate society threaten quality of life in ways we never imagined. Consider:
> Smog, sprawl, gridlock, and road rage.
> Ugly, dirty, dangerous cities built for cars instead of people.
> A recent Emory University study drawing a clear link between health epidemics like obesity and asthma and Atlanta's sprawling car culture.
> The human toll. At over 43,000 US traffic fatalities per year, the human carnage is equivalent to a 9/11 every month.
And yet we seem to be blissfully unaware, cocooned in our SUVs...
www.atl-trailandrail.net
- Trinity to Morpheus, The Matrix Reloaded
The machines are taking over our cities. And the byproducts of our auto-dominate society threaten quality of life in ways we never imagined. Consider:
> Smog, sprawl, gridlock, and road rage.
> Ugly, dirty, dangerous cities built for cars instead of people.
> A recent Emory University study drawing a clear link between health epidemics like obesity and asthma and Atlanta's sprawling car culture.
> The human toll. At over 43,000 US traffic fatalities per year, the human carnage is equivalent to a 9/11 every month.
And yet we seem to be blissfully unaware, cocooned in our SUVs...
www.atl-trailandrail.net
Saturday, July 26, 2003
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference
...Robert Frost
I felt a strong sense of disenchantment with the American built environment after having lived in Augsburg, Germany for two years. Augsburg is a great walkable city built on a fairly dense scale. I traveled everywhere by some combination of walking, trolley, train, and bus. I didn't even own a car while living there.
Years later I'm surveying the sprawling car-culture of Atlanta, the city where I live. I've decided that I'm at a point in my life where I want to do something about it. I hope this blog will help me clarify my thoughts, inspire change, and connect with the community of like-minded individuals I know is out there.
Helping Atlantans overcome auto-addiction isn't going to be easy -- but it'll be worth it. There are some very positive trends that lead me to believe we're at a tipping point to Atlanta becoming a world-class transit metropolis: Recent ARC TOD Funding, a growing Belt Line coalition, and PATH Foundation's continued progress, are but a few.
As a citizen, I want to do my part in helping to spur this change through education and activism. As a real estate counselor, I've decided to specialize in transit- and trail- oriented real estate. I call it "trail" and "rail" estate (www.atl-trailandrail.net). It may be the road less traveled, but in the end, I believe it'll make all the difference....
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