ATLANTA | Development Thread VI - Page 21

Frankster87 · #**401** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 1:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtlantaMustang

Well the one good thing is.... If "the stitch" idea ever happens it won't matter anyway.

My first thought as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwbab

I am also disappointed with how it turned out aesthetically. However, having both walked and biked on the bridge, it is a huge improvement for non-automobile users. Hopefully it will look better when whatever greenery they put in the planters starts to fill out.

Absolutely. While very underwhelming from their original plans, it's a way better experience for pedestrians and cyclists.

arctk2014 · #**402** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 1:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by montydawg

How do we know it is finished?

Because Central Atlanta Progress issued a press release.

I'm hoping they at least take advantage of the opportune growing season to plant some landscaping in the barriers as intended.

http://www.atlantadowntown.com/artic...ement-revealed

MdtwnATL · #**403** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 1:37 PM**

Why does ATL plan glorious bridges and under deliver? This one looks like someone used poster board from the art supply store to cut out
P E A C H T R E S T R E E T, then just tacked it up on the chain link.

arctk2014 · #**404** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 1:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtlantaMustang

Well the one good thing is.... If "the stitch" idea ever happens it won't matter anyway.

I feel like they scaled back the design on this one and funneled it into the north bridge in anticipation of the "stitch" project moving forward in "some" fashion to cap the Connector. But I'm not holding my breath on that happening anytime in the next decade.

Atlanta3000 · #**405** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 1:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by arctk2014

Because Central Atlanta Progress issued a press release.

I'm hoping they at least take advantage of the opportune growing season to plant some landscaping in the barriers as intended.

http://www.atlantadowntown.com/artic...ement-revealed

How in the F is this costing $5.3 Million. It looks like a goddamn arts & craft project. Please don't tell me this was one of the bridges they had the Design Competition for last year.

Quote:

$5.3 million from public and private sources has been raised to fund the phase one projects—the Peachtree Bridge Enhancements.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Atlan...40422775981755

montydawg · #**406** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 2:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

How the in the F is this costing $5.3 Million. It looks like a goddamn arts & craft project. Please don't tell me this was one of the bridges they had the Design Competition for last year.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Atlan...40422775981755

I'm hoping this cost around $800K and they decided to funnel the money to something else. Unless there is stop and go traffic on the connector, people will not get a great view of this bridge anyway. I think money would be better spent on the MARTA stations or street-level amenities instead of worrying about what drivers think on the connector.

arctk2014 · #**407** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 3:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

How in the F is this costing $5.3 Million. It looks like a goddamn arts & craft project. Please don't tell me this was one of the bridges they had the Design Competition for last year.

FYI $5.3 Million was for BOTH bridges. I can imagine the cost of the arches and having to re-design the supports in the crash walls cost the largest chunk of that $5.3 million.

It looks like the gaurdrail fence and PEACHTREE signage will be the same on both bridges.

jsvh · #**408** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 3:15 PM**

Gwinnett approves big development near Mall of Georgia | www.ajc.com

sbrptree · #**409** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 4:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by arctk2014

FYI $5.3 Million was for BOTH bridges. I can imagine the cost of the arches and having to re-design the supports in the crash walls cost the largest chunk of that $5.3 million.

It looks like the gaurdrail fence and PEACHTREE signage will be the same on both bridges.

Construction updates from Midtown Alliance have stated they will be installing arches for the Brookwood Bridge. If they end up with the same result at Brookwood as they have for Downtown - it's huge shame and lost opportunity.

Pemgin · #**410** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 4:58 PM**

I agree that the downtown bridge is a bit underwhelming, but the PEACHTREE sign looks pretty good at night when it's lit.

Libertarian · #**411** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 5:11 PM**

Compare the Peachtree Google streetview imagery in that location from 2015 and 2016 and you'll see there is substantial improvement. Lighting, removal of junky looking tree planters, ped walkways on both sides, bike lanes, etc.

Jarod Apperson · #**412** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 5:54 PM**

I also dislike the bridge. To pile on: it is so highway oriented that only cars passing on the connector will see "Peachtree" normally. Pedestrians, bikers, and anyone actually driving over the bridge, get the letters backward.

Pemgin · #**413** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 6:28 PM**

If it has created a better experience for cyclists and pedestrians, that's considerably more important that how it looks. Aesthetics are subjective.

arctk2014 · #**414** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 6:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pemgin

If it has created a better experience for cyclists and pedestrians, that's considerably more important that how it looks. Aesthetics are subjective.

Oddly enough the experience should be enhanced by the aesthetics of a better design.

The glorified "jersey barrier" might provide some comfort for pedestrians as well as an opportunity to have the planter be continuous BUT there's a missed opportunity to have had the bicycle lanes protected from the traffic; which is still a major design flaw. They just converted the shoulder to a bicycle lane against a crash wall. That's not necessarily all subjective.

shivtim · #**415** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 8:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by arctk2014

Oddly enough the experience should be enhanced by the aesthetics of a better design.

The glorified "jersey barrier" might provide some comfort for pedestrians as well as an opportunity to have the planter be continuous BUT there's a missed opportunity to have had the bicycle lanes protected from the traffic; which is still a major design flaw. They just converted the shoulder to a bicycle lane against a crash wall. That's not necessarily all subjective.

I've biked and walked across it and it's a huge improvement from before. Also, the pictures of Atlanta they'll be installing on the side of the "Peachtree letters" facing pedestrians will be by a local artist/photographer. No, the bridge isn't revolutionary, but it's a massive improvement from before, and will look better once they install the photos and plants. I do think they've put at least some faith into an eventual bridging of the connector here, and chose to focus most of the money on the northern gateway bridge.

Atlanta3000 · #**416** Posted **Sep 28, 2016, 11:50 PM**

First, let me be on record as saying I am not an artist, but a tech guy that works in Big Data. I have also not walked or rode my bike across Peachtree Street/bridge over the Connector. So I cannot speak to it's increase in pedestrian friendliness. I did however ride in my SUV on it with out-of-town guests showing them downtown, aquarium, The Center for Civil and Human Rights and WoC. When we saw Peachtree spelled backwards one of my guest promptly said, "WTF is that? I knew the South was full of f'tards, but I wasn't expecting it so visually". Yes, my passengers were Yankees from the North.

Again, I am no artist but I believe with little effort or skill and my trusty iPhone. I could have easily taken random photos of Atanta and assembled a mosaic on the back of letters P, E, A......etc.

The fact is this was presented to the citizens of Atlanta as a design competition gives those us left underwhelmed the latitude to be critical. Just my $.02.

Vaden · #**417** Posted **Sep 29, 2016, 12:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

First, let me be on record as saying I am not an artist, but a tech guy that works in Big Data. I have also not walked or rode my bike across Peachtree Street/bridge over the Connector. So I cannot speak to it's increase in pedestrian friendliness. I did however ride in my SUV on it with out-of-town guests showing them downtown, aquarium, The Center for Civil and Human Rights and WoC. When we saw Peachtree spelled backwards one of my guest promptly said, "WTF is that? I knew the South was full of f'tards, but I wasn't expecting it so visually". Yes, my passengers were Yankees from the North.

Again, I am no artist but I believe with little effort or skill and my trusty iPhone. I could have easily taken random photos of Atanta and assembled a mosaic on the back of letters P, E, A......etc.

The fact is this was presented to the citizens of Atlanta as a design competition gives those us left underwhelmed the latitude to be critical. Just my $.02.

The bridge is underwhelming but if "guests" in MY car had said that to me, they would have been ordered out of my car at the next available place and I would have driven away. Of course, I wouldn't be friendly with people like that anyway. Many Northern chauvinists are totally against "bigotry," until it's directed at southern whites. Then it's A-OK.

Atlanta3000 · #**418** Posted **Sep 29, 2016, 12:54 AM**

Daily Journal

Monday, September 28, 2016

Mental Note - never ride in Vanden's car

arctk2014 · #**419** Posted **Sep 29, 2016, 1:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

The fact is this was presented to the citizens of Atlanta as a design competition gives those us left underwhelmed the latitude to be critical. Just my $.02.

The Peachtree bridges were NOT part of a design competition. I believe the Peachtree bridges were designed by the same designer of the 14th street bridge, Gwinette Village Gateway bridge over 85, 14th street substation, and a proposal for Lenox Road bridge over 400 (before the 400 park proposal).

The 10th Street and Courtland/Ralph McGill bridges were the ones being solicited as a design competition.

daharris80 · #**420** Posted **Sep 29, 2016, 2:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by arctk2014

The Peachtree bridges were NOT part of a design competition. I believe the Peachtree bridges were designed by the same designer of the 14th street bridge, Gwinette Village Gateway bridge over 85, 14th street substation, and a proposal for Lenox Road bridge over 400 (before the 400 park proposal).

The 10th Street and Piedmont bridges were the ones being solicited as a design competition.

That is correct the Peachtree Bridges are a part of Central Atlanta Progress's "I75/85 Connector Transformation Plan." The bridge work was funded by GDOT. http://www.atlantadowntown.com/initi...nnector_Vision Ironically Central Atlanta Progress is also behind the "Stitch."

The bridge design competition was a Midtown Alliance project and is for the 10th Street and Courtland/McGill Bridges.