What's the project about?
Growth and Traffic Congestion
Metro Atlanta's growth has far outstripped expert forecasts. In the
late 1980's, forecasters predicted that the metro area would surpass
3 million in 2000 and 3.7 million in 2010. But the metro area surpassed
both figures in the 1990's. The regional planning agency now predicts
metro Atlanta's population will reach 4.8 million by the end of this
decade.
Land development has occurred one third faster than population. This
expansive growth has resulted in the average number of miles driven
by Atlanta area motorists increasing 212% from 1982 to 2000.
Traffic congestion and degraded air and water quality have provided
an incentive for both political and business leaders to seek better
ways of directing the region's growth. The methods that the Atlanta
metro area uses to achieve that are not simply a quality of life or
environmental issue, but the single most important economic development
issue facing the region today.
Because traffic congestion is one of the public's main objections to
growth and because extending transportation facilities is necessary
to support growth, transportation is an integral part of any strategy.
We cannot continue to develop as we have in years past. That is why
they public increasingly supports more efficient land-use and development
practices that enhance communities.
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History
The Northwest Corridor, the geographic focus of this study, is largely
located within Cobb County. The land that comprises Cobb County was
originally equally divided among the State of Georgia and the Cherokee
Indians. In 1831, a settlement was reached that deeded all the land
to the State of Georgia. This land was divided into 10 counties, including
Cobb County. Growth in the area was slow until the Georgia General Assembly
decided to build the railroad in 1836. As construction on the railroad
began, settlements developed along the rail line leading to Atlanta.
As these settlements grew, they created what is now known as the Northwest
Corridor.
Today, the Northwest Corridor comprises of large suburban job centers
with extensive single-family residential developments. The car-centered
culture has helped draw people to this area, but also helped create
traffic congestion and air pollution.
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Overview
The Northwest Connectivity Study examines what might be done to
improve transportation connections among activity centers within the
corridor, including Midtown Atlanta on the south, through the Cumberland/Galleria
area, and up to Town Center on the north.
The study includes the planning process and the environmental impact
analysis work necessary to determine the preferred route and the preferred
transportation option for this transportation link. The final recommendation
is known as a “locally preferred alternative” or LPA. One
important aspect of this process, is the fact that the foundation of
this planning endeavor will include public involvement. A series of
meetings will be conducted to help arrive at a community consensus.
These meetings will improve the quality of decisions, provide greater
public understanding of the policy-making process, and reduce conflict
through education of the public.
Because Georgia is seeking the transportation connection that will
best serve the needs of the people living and working in this corridor,
a rigorous analysis of the available options must be conducted with
full public participation. Those options include: implementing the plans
for the corridor that currently exist; highway solutions, including
HOV lanes; express buses and bus rapid transit; commuter rail; monorail;
light rail transit; and heavy rail transit.
The study will also examine the impacts of ‘distributor’
systems within the Cumberland/Galleria and Town Center areas. Distributor
systems are transportation systems that would help people get from the
major transportation system to their final destinations. The shuttle
buses that carry people from the MARTA stations in Perimeter Center
to their offices are an example of a distributor system.
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