Understanding our region. Exploring our future.
Updated on May 6, 2020 A quick check of your favorite mapping app makes it clear: traffic congestion has eased during these shelter-in-place times. Even during rush hour, major highways are bathed in a sea of green, signifying free-flowing traffic. Now, we have some numbers that show just how much congestion has declined, and what … Continue Reading →
It seems everyone’s talking about the future of transportation these days. You know, things like self-driving cars and “smart” traffic signals. While it may seem this high-tech future is still a looong way off, there’s a lot happening right now on the ground here in Georgia. Here’s a look at some notable projects that experts … Continue Reading →
The future of mobility is upon us. A network of “smart” traffic signals is headed for some of the region’s busiest thoroughfares. The system relies on Connected Vehicle (CV) technology – cars that talk to each other and to traffic signals and other infrastructure around them – to improve safety and efficiency. The new tech … Continue Reading →
How do you keep metro Atlanta moving forward when nearly 3 million people are forecast to move here over the next three decades? That’s the daunting challenge facing regional planners and local governments. The answer can be found in major update to the transportation portion of the Atlanta Region’s Plan, recently approved by the Atlanta … Continue Reading →
How’s this for a commute? A short walk from the bedroom to the home office or kitchen table. This is becoming commonplace, as more and more metro Atlanta residents are working at least some of the time at home. That’s according to the latest Regional Commuter Survey from the Atlanta Regional Commission, which found that … Continue Reading →
It’s not rocket science, but smart technology is taking off in a way that may be revolutionizing how we travel in metro Atlanta. One of the “driving” forces in this revolution is C-V2X – meaning “cellular-vehicle-to-everything.” This technology uses the emerging 5G network to allow vehicles to communicate with – you guessed it – pretty … Continue Reading →
We all want better ways of getting from Point A to Point B. Now, you have a chance to weigh in on a 30-year, long-range regional plan designed to improve mobility across metro Atlanta. The plan is comprehensive, and it’s big. We’re talking a total of $172.6 billion through the year 2050. If that seems … Continue Reading →
Imagine the year 2050. What do you think metro Atlanta will be like three decades from now? Will advanced technology (self-driving cars and other gizmos yet to be invented) bring solutions to age-old problems? Or will today’s challenges only grow as the years pass, leaving us in crisis? These questions are far from academic, late-night … Continue Reading →
Few things shape our region more than how we get to work. Our commuting patterns determine where we live, work, and shop and can even contribute to health problems (tailpipe emissions – cough, cough! – are one of the main contributors to poor air quality). The Atlanta Regional Commission recently analyzed Census data about commuting … Continue Reading →
Imagine a street where bicycles, cars, pedestrians, and yes, even motorized scooters all share the same space, with no markings such as sidewalks or bike paths to delineate where each should go. Shared streets, as they’re often called, are popular in other countries, particularly in Europe. (The Dutch call them woonerfs, or “living streets.”) Now, the … Continue Reading →
During the construction of the Express lanes on I-75 north, people wondered if the two reversible toll lanes in Cobb and Cherokee counties would improve people’s commutes. Now that these Express lanes have been open for almost six months, it’s a good time to check in and address that question and some others to gauge … Continue Reading →
Today, we learn about…first-mile/last-mile connectivity. More on First-Mile/Last-Mile Connectivity To tackle the first/last-mile issue, planners and others consider solutions that make those first and last legs 1. shorter and 2. more pleasant. Think transit-oriented developments built right near transit stations, as well as improved bike-ped trails, ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, nicer sidewalks, and, … Continue Reading →
Here’s an intriguing blank slate, sky’s-the-limit question: what should metro Atlanta’s transit network look like in the future? The kicker: You don’t have to factor in cost. Every few years, transportation planners and local officials come together to provide an answer, creating a detailed project list that serves as a long-range vision for transit in … Continue Reading →
Driverless cars and “connected technology” are making headlines across the country and right here in metro Atlanta. But why should any of this interest any but the tech-nerdiest among us? In this episode, we find out. We learn which metro Atlanta communities and companies are, at this moment, testing vehicles that drive themselves—and the infrastructure … Continue Reading →
The More MARTA Atlanta program is arguably the biggest boost the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority has received since the agency was approved by DeKalb and Fulton county voters in 1971. Over the next 40 years, the spending plan will inject $2.7 billion – with a “B” – into the transit agency for a range … Continue Reading →
In addition to their smart phones and smart watches, commuters in Gwinnett County will soon get a “smart corridor” along one of their busiest thoroughfares. Within the next year, workers will begin equipping 20 miles of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard with some of the same technology driving our digital gizmos — wireless communications — in order … Continue Reading →
On Plannerisms, our new occasional short-audio series, we take planning terms related to things taking place in metro Atlanta—and, in 90 seconds or less—gives you a clear explanation and some key timely local context. First up…Cycle tracks, also known as protected bike lanes. More on Cycle Tracks Time was, planners in the Atlanta region had … Continue Reading →
How can local governments make their streets safer for people walking and bicycling? It’s an urgent question, given that the number of collisions involving pedestrians and bicyclists has risen sharply from 1,778 in 2006 to 2,900 in 2015, a 63% increase. And now, a new regional plan provides detailed, data-driven answers. It’s called Safe Streets … Continue Reading →