The Traffic South of Atlanta

DSTRen13 · #1 04-04-2007, 07:44 AM

Personally, I'm just not a commuting person. It's a waste of 2-3 (or more!) hours of your life everyday, if you live in Atlanta. Yuck. Just live in the city if you work in the city. If you live in the suburbs, get a job there or telecommute. I know this isn't practical in every area, but in the Atlanta area, there are places to live in a variety of price ranges in the city and out. (And even if you have a job downtown and prefer the country, when do you get to see the country if you have to leave so early and get home so late? Just live in town and take weekend trips out or something ...) JMO.

shinerbock · #2 04-04-2007, 09:58 AM

I agree the better option would be to live downtown. Unfortunately I can't afford to live in N. Fulton yet, and I don't want to blow a lot of money on rent.

DSTRen13 · #3 04-04-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerbock

I agree the better option would be to live downtown. Unfortunately I can't afford to live in N. Fulton yet, and I don't want to blow a lot of money on rent.

Have you thought about buying a condo property near Georgia State or GT? After you move out to N. Fulton, you can rent your place out to college students for years to come. (I think I have been influenced by working with too many aspiring real estate tycoons, lol.)

shinerbock · #4 04-04-2007, 10:20 AM

Not a bad idea, although I'd prefer not to live around 10th. Buying a condo in Atlantic Station or one of the other buildings like those (spire, twelve residences, same development company) is something I've thought about and would consider if I ended up staying here. To be honest, I simply don't like Atlanta anymore. The only reasons I have any desire to stay are because I've lived here my entire life (which at 23 years is about 20 years longer than the average resident), family, and the legal market. We'll see what happens. I've watched my dad to commute to Buckhead every day for 30 years, and I certainly don't want to do that.

alum · #5 04-04-2007, 04:04 PM

It could be worse.

http://www.forbes.com/logistics/2006...07traffic.html

shinerbock · #6 04-04-2007, 04:13 PM

How is public transportation in LA and SF? To be honest, I think that DC ranking is nonsense. Traffic is bad, but living in DC, i thought it was better than in Atlanta. Plus, the Metro is pretty good.

Unfortunately Atlanta has no public transportation. I've lived here my entire life and never met a professional who takes MARTA to anywhere but major sporting events.

UGAalum94 · #7 04-04-2007, 04:40 PM

Yeah, it's sad but Marta seems too erratic to depend on. If you are close enough in that you can go directly to the rail line, maybe. But if you're talking catching a bus to the rail, forget it. You might be able to walk the distance and get there faster for most routes, not that I have much experience. (and there's a perception that it's dangerous, but I don't know if that's grounded in reality or not.)

On the other hand, when my family lived outside of DC when I was kid, my dad could actually catch a Metro bus, take it to the rail line and get off literally at his workplace, and it was a reasonable method of commuting. It's really weird to think that my parents only had one car then.

alum · #8 04-05-2007, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerbock

How is public transportation in LA and SF? To be honest, I think that DC ranking is nonsense. Traffic is bad, but living in DC, i thought it was better than in Atlanta. Plus, the Metro is pretty good.

Unfortunately Atlanta has no public transportation. I've lived here my entire life and never met a professional who takes MARTA to anywhere but major sporting events.

The DC Metro is very good if you can use it. My D took Metro trains as a high schooler and I never worried about her using it during commuter hours. GEN Alum also took the Metro as do many Pentagon employees. Of course, not all jobs are Metro-accessible. Even worse, Dulles Airport does not have direct public transportation (although the powers-that-be are working on that).

I have to drive to various points of DC/Northern VA and plan my travel around the HOV times. Luckily I have the flexibility in my schedule.

carnation · #9 04-04-2007, 10:00 AM

We have to go to Valdosta next weekend and to Florida in June. Let me tell you that we'll be planning our departure times carefully...Mr. Carnation's cousins live just south of Atlanta and I don't know how they function with traffic like that. DSTRen, we'll take your advice on the slow times!