Time For Atlanta To Face Its Traffic Problem

Metro Atlanta's boom probably won't last unless state and local leaders tackle the worsening traffic and begin investing in public transit.

1 minute read

May 20, 2007, 11:00 AM PDT

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"Atlanta's renaissance as a vibrant urban core is nothing short of remarkable. Nearly every neighborhood close to downtown shows signs of commercial and residential vitality, including the once-neglected district near the old Atlanta-Fulton County stadium. With sidewalk cafes (heck, with sidewalks), loft conversions and an influx of middle-class residents, intown Atlanta exudes, at last, a certain cosmopolitan flair."

"Of course, this splendid revival hasn't come without a price. The influx of new residents has brought the area's familiar curse - more traffic. Given that the city's leaders have done so much right, it seems they ought to be able to do more to get the city on the road to better transit. They should be able to persuade the General Assembly to pass a bill allowing the Atlanta region to vote to increase its taxes to pay for transportation improvements."

"Unless the metro area can do something about traffic, the region will start to lose its appeal...Even those cute intown neighborhoods will be less charming if their streets are clogged with cars."

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9, 2025 - Axios

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Canadian flag in foreground with blurred Canadian Parliament building in background in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Has President Trump Met His Match?

Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

March 11, 2025 - Toronto Star

Aerial view of Honolulu, Hawaii coastline at dusk.

Honolulu's Iwilei Center Plans for Redevelopment Into Mixed-Use Space

Striving to expand affordable housing options for Oahu residents, Honolulu's Department of Land Management requests to redevelop the Iwilei Center into a mixed-use space.

7 hours ago - Spectrum News

Orange Biketown bike share bikes parked at station on sidewalk in Portland, Oregon,

Biketown Lives

Despite public perception of its decline, Portland’s bike share system is alive and well.

March 12 - Willamette Week

Quiet tree-lined street in Stockholm, Sweden in summer.

‘Stockholm Tree Pit’ Saves Dying Urban Trees

After noticing that two-thirds of its trees were dying, Stockholm developed a new planting method to protect trees surrounded by concrete.

March 12 - Reasons to Be Cheerful