HomeDiagramsDatabaseMapsForum About
     

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > United States > Southeast > Atlanta


Reply

 
Thread Tools Display Modes
     
     
  #21  
Old Posted Jul 23, 2007, 10:28 PM
(four 0 four)'s Avatar
(four 0 four) (four 0 four) is offline
i ain't no bubba
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 1,669
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrea View Post
Here's some of the little stuff I'd do:
-- Encourage more newsstands, coffee shops and food vendors. Eliminate or tightly regulate the sale of "knock-off" merchandise on the streets. ETA: Following up on Terminus' post, if the street vendors can't be controlled then eliminate them.
Bill Campbell will be out of prison in a year or two. Since he did such a great job with the street vendors in 1996, put him in charge of this project.
__________________
"I hate small towns because once you've seen the cannon in the park, there's nothing else to do." Lenny Bruce
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #22  
Old Posted Aug 15, 2007, 3:50 PM
greg30127 greg30127 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 35
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tombstoner View Post
I think it's important that if Atlanta did fountains or sculptures or even beautified ramps (I like the idea of something to create a kind of "district" feel apart from adding placard to street signs) it be QUALITY -- not the typical suburban, corporate crap that, unfortunately, is so common in Atlanta. That's why I emphasize "artistically significant"; we don't need more McFountains, McMonuments, McParks that only suitably complement the World of Coke. Better just to build more Home Depots than settle for more half-assed garbage.

I just saw this comment so late to reply.

I would love to see more unique fountain and water features in the area, but not sure how you can get around the "bum factor" with them. I mean, look at that really nice fountain just off of Peachtree at Five Points across from the park - the wall of water built for the Olympics that is about 40 feet wide. Every time I go down there, at least 3-4 bums are sleeping on the sitting area, and many times there are street preachers with fold out chairs preaching to people right in front of it as well. Hardly makes you want to walk up and enjoy it.

Maybe install some of those zapper pads in the seating area of any new fountains? If you sit on them longer than 10 minutes - ZAP!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #23  
Old Posted Aug 15, 2007, 4:10 PM
ATLaffinity ATLaffinity is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 872
Quote:
Originally Posted by greg30127 View Post
I would love to see more unique fountain and water features in the area, but not sure how you can get around the "bum factor" with them.
kill two birds with one stone...

Roundabouts with fountains

i honestly think it's unethical to not convert lethal intersections into roundabouts

i bet there's intersections in ATL that see deaths from red lights run year after year. totally eliminated with a roundabout.

make it illegal for pedestrians to walk to the center with the fountain and bum problem is solved.

The Economist on rise of roundabouts in US

Last edited by ATLaffinity; Aug 15, 2007 at 4:19 PM. Reason: improved
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #24  
Old Posted Aug 15, 2007, 4:29 PM
MarketsWork MarketsWork is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 783
Quote:
Originally Posted by greg30127 View Post
I would love to see more unique fountain and water features in the area, but not sure how you can get around the "bum factor" with them. I mean, look at that really nice fountain just off of Peachtree at Five Points across from the park - the wall of water built for the Olympics that is about 40 feet wide. Every time I go down there, at least 3-4 bums are sleeping on the sitting area, and many times there are street preachers with fold out chairs preaching to people right in front of it as well. Hardly makes you want to walk up and enjoy it.
That is purely a failure of policing, and a product of indifference by the City. Homeless shelters should not be so close to Atlanta's convention and tourist areas anyway, but since they are, the police should vigorously enforce all loitering and pandhandling laws to the very letter. As the beat cops used to say, "Move along, pal." Allowing loitering bums to ruin our public spaces is just fouling our own nest.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #25  
Old Posted Aug 15, 2007, 6:10 PM
gttx's Avatar
gttx gttx is offline
Urban Explorer
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 2,107
Quote:
Originally Posted by ATLaffinity View Post
kill two birds with one stone...

Roundabouts with fountains

i honestly think it's unethical to not convert lethal intersections into roundabouts

i bet there's intersections in ATL that see deaths from red lights run year after year. totally eliminated with a roundabout.

make it illegal for pedestrians to walk to the center with the fountain and bum problem is solved.

The Economist on rise of roundabouts in US
Interesting idea, though roundabouts certainly don't solve all the problems with traffic and accident-prevention, as you seem to suggest. The water feature in the center of a roundabout is certainly an excellent idea - see Rome's Piazza della Republica for a great example.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #26  
Old Posted Aug 15, 2007, 6:19 PM
Tombstoner Tombstoner is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 1,039
Quote:
Originally Posted by greg30127 View Post
I just saw this comment so late to reply.

I would love to see more unique fountain and water features in the area, but not sure how you can get around the "bum factor" with them. I mean, look at that really nice fountain just off of Peachtree at Five Points across from the park - the wall of water built for the Olympics that is about 40 feet wide. Every time I go down there, at least 3-4 bums are sleeping on the sitting area, and many times there are street preachers with fold out chairs preaching to people right in front of it as well. Hardly makes you want to walk up and enjoy it.

Maybe install some of those zapper pads in the seating area of any new fountains? If you sit on them longer than 10 minutes - ZAP!
I think the bum factor is a problem with or without new fountains (I also like the space at Woodruff park and think it could be used better--why GSU police don't do more to make it a pleasant place is a mystery to me). As far as the preachers go...that doesn't bother me (as long as they don't start name-calling or being bigoted). It would be wonderful if Atlanta could develop a variation of a Speaker's Corner like they have in London where anyone with an idea/rant can say their piece. Of course 90% of people will be crackpots (worse than me! ) and 99% of others in the park won't be listening, but it seems wonderfully democratic and something the MLK's city should be know for promoting.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #27  
Old Posted Aug 15, 2007, 6:27 PM
Tombstoner Tombstoner is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 1,039
Quote:
Originally Posted by ATLaffinity View Post
kill two birds with one stone...

Roundabouts with fountains

i honestly think it's unethical to not convert lethal intersections into roundabouts

i bet there's intersections in ATL that see deaths from red lights run year after year. totally eliminated with a roundabout.

make it illegal for pedestrians to walk to the center with the fountain and bum problem is solved.

The Economist on rise of roundabouts in US
I like the idea of roundabouts in general, but it would be a shame to isolate really significant fountains on inaccessible traffic islands. Now, big, fairly nice (maybe neoclassical?) fountains (or monuments/statues) that basically just form a focal point of the roundabout is a good idea. But I think if you have a really special fountain, it is one that is going to beg interaction with the public. I can't say I think the Olympic Rings fountain in COP is anything to write home about, but I'll be damned if it doesn't make a lot of people happy--I go there to watch the people and not the fountain!.
The new fountain in Columbus Circle NYC is a nice example of a roundabout fountain that tries to be accessible, but I have to say, it scares the buhjezzes out of me.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #28  
Old Posted Aug 16, 2007, 3:56 PM
chubbydecker chubbydecker is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 172
Is it just me or do others here find those little stop for pedestrian signs in the middle of the street annoying at best and a downright traffic hazzard at worst. Visitors from out of town who haven't seen these signs before are automatically stopping at them, even though no pedestrians are anywhere to be found. And the placement of these signs in the middle of the street are forcing motorists to shift several feet over to the right, often into the adjacent lane just to avoid hitting the signs.
__________________
soup is good food!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #29  
Old Posted Aug 16, 2007, 7:20 PM
ATLaffinity ATLaffinity is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 872
Quote:
Originally Posted by chubbydecker View Post
Is it just me or do others here find those little stop for pedestrian signs in the middle of the street annoying at best and a downright traffic hazzard at worst. Visitors from out of town who haven't seen these signs before are automatically stopping at them, even though no pedestrians are anywhere to be found. And the placement of these signs in the middle of the street are forcing motorists to shift several feet over to the right, often into the adjacent lane just to avoid hitting the signs.
I'm worried about the first poor soul who expects an ATL driver to stop.

I "tested" the one on 10th near the Children's School.

I had my toddler (in a death grip) and I stepped out a bit and a police van (going nowhere) flew by going like 50. they had no intention of stopping, nor did the next 5 cars. eventually somebody stopped and everybody stopped. you just have to stand on the sidewalk and make feints towards the road until some driver "gets it".

here's how the first person is going to get killed:

car stops in one lane. waves people on. car comes in next lane.

i think they are deadly. i find it hard to believe somebody hasn't been killed yet.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #30  
Old Posted Aug 16, 2007, 7:45 PM
Dragonheart8588 Dragonheart8588 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 298
Quote:
Originally Posted by ATLaffinity View Post
I'm worried about the first poor soul who expects an ATL driver to stop.

I "tested" the one on 10th near the Children's School.

I had my toddler (in a death grip) and I stepped out a bit and a police van (going nowhere) flew by going like 50. they had no intention of stopping, nor did the next 5 cars. eventually somebody stopped and everybody stopped. you just have to stand on the sidewalk and make feints towards the road until some driver "gets it".

here's how the first person is going to get killed:

car stops in one lane. waves people on. car comes in next lane.

i think they are deadly. i find it hard to believe somebody hasn't been killed yet.
There are a few of those on GSU campus. Thank Gods there are so many students walking there to make people actually stop.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #31  
Old Posted Aug 16, 2007, 8:00 PM
(four 0 four)'s Avatar
(four 0 four) (four 0 four) is offline
i ain't no bubba
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 1,669
For this to eventually 'catch on', people will have to assert their pedestrial rights. Be smart about it (don't just leap out) but you can't cower on the sidewalk and expect drivers to stop....its an education process that is likely to take some time.
__________________
"I hate small towns because once you've seen the cannon in the park, there's nothing else to do." Lenny Bruce
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #32  
Old Posted Aug 17, 2007, 2:29 AM
Andrea Andrea is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,912
Quote:
Originally Posted by ATLaffinity View Post
here's how the first person is going to get killed:

car stops in one lane. waves people on. car comes in next lane.

i think they are deadly. i find it hard to believe somebody hasn't been killed yet.
Interesting video on the PEDS page: http://www.peds.org/
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #33  
Old Posted Aug 17, 2007, 3:14 AM
sprtsluvr8 sprtsluvr8 is offline
Respect My Authorit-I!
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,283
Is that ad going to air on network t.v.? I like the shock factor of it, but it has a toe across the line into bad taste in my opinion...

As a pedestrian in a designated crossing, I decide if an oncoming car is far enough away to stop without hitting me before I step out on the street. Then I keep watch out of the corner of my eye just to make sure the driver sees me, because all it takes is for the driver to glance away at anything for a second and then not have time to avoid hitting me. We all know as drivers that it can happen. There are millions of distractions - a commotion on the sidewalk, something hits your car, you change the radio, you spill something, etc. I think the pedestrian needs to be aggressive but stay guarded because there is a responsibility on both parties.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #34  
Old Posted Aug 17, 2007, 1:49 PM
Terminus's Avatar
Terminus Terminus is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 2,276
Quote:
Originally Posted by chubbydecker View Post
Is it just me or do others here find those little stop for pedestrian signs in the middle of the street annoying at best and a downright traffic hazzard at worst. Visitors from out of town who haven't seen these signs before are automatically stopping at them, even though no pedestrians are anywhere to be found. And the placement of these signs in the middle of the street are forcing motorists to shift several feet over to the right, often into the adjacent lane just to avoid hitting the signs.
Those signs have increased driver compliance to stopping for pedestrians from around 5% to around 90% at unsignalized intersections where they have been solved (according to studies done by PEDS and the City of Atlanta). They are extremely succesful at improving pedestian safety.

There is no need for drivers to swerve to avoid them. If you do, you're obviously drivign well above the design speed for the street on which they are posted (or have some obscenely large concept of shy distance).
__________________
How about this for the city's slogan:

"Atlanta - it's getting there."
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #35  
Old Posted Aug 18, 2007, 2:02 AM
Toxostoma Rufum's Avatar
Toxostoma Rufum Toxostoma Rufum is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 130
Quote:
Originally Posted by chubbydecker View Post
Is it just me or do others here find those little stop for pedestrian signs in the middle of the street annoying at best and a downright traffic hazzard at worst. Visitors from out of town who haven't seen these signs before are automatically stopping at them, even though no pedestrians are anywhere to be found. And the placement of these signs in the middle of the street are forcing motorists to shift several feet over to the right, often into the adjacent lane just to avoid hitting the signs.
They're not annoying.
They're not a hazard.
Visitors from out of town can't drive worth a darn anyhow, so if it keeps one of them from hitting somebody, then good.
Motorists aren't shifting "several feet to the right" except in your mind.

Basically, I drive all over downtown and midtown nearly every day of the year, and I can't agree with you one bit.

Eventually, these signs work. But no, let's not try to use signs that are effective elsewhere because some people have never seen them before! Atlanta should be designed for urban living, not cater to country folk. They don't put Starbucks and WiFi all over rural Georgia to make things easier for city folk.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #36  
Old Posted Aug 18, 2007, 2:31 PM
jason21atl's Avatar
jason21atl jason21atl is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 703
Speaking as someone who lives in midtown and doesn't own a car, I wish there were MORE of these signs around the city. I find that in many cases, people just ignore them anyway and breeze right on through without slowing down. I've almost been mowed down on more than one occasion. We need some good Public Service Announcements to educate drivers on how to get along with pedestrians and who has the right of way in certain situations. ;-)
__________________
"Freedom suppressed and again regained bites with keener fangs than freedom never endangered." -Cicero
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #37  
Old Posted Aug 18, 2007, 8:23 PM
gttx's Avatar
gttx gttx is offline
Urban Explorer
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 2,107
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terminus View Post
Those signs have increased driver compliance to stopping for pedestrians from around 5% to around 90% at unsignalized intersections where they have been solved (according to studies done by PEDS and the City of Atlanta). They are extremely succesful at improving pedestian safety.

There is no need for drivers to swerve to avoid them. If you do, you're obviously drivign well above the design speed for the street on which they are posted (or have some obscenely large concept of shy distance).
If the signs are correctly positioned in the middle of the road and you drive a normal size car, then they are not at all in the way.

If, on the other hand, someone has hit the sign and it's sticking into your lane (which is the case a lot), then you do need to move over to avoid it. Similarly, the egregious number of SUVs on the roads in-town cannot navigate around them without moving over. The real problem, then, is that people drive cars that are far too big and, often, drive too fast. People can blame the problem on the signs, but it would really just be avoiding the actual issue.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #38  
Old Posted Aug 20, 2007, 2:11 AM
alleystreetindustry's Avatar
alleystreetindustry alleystreetindustry is offline
roma volo
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: city of atlanta, city of charleston
Posts: 543
it would be awesome if they could expand the zoo into something amazing. i don't have any problem with moving it. though the current location is what has defined zoo atlanta. i always thought a good place to have it was on the unused land north of piedmont park, but that space will turn around within the decade so that is a no.

interstate caps on the downtown connector is among the best ideas also. right now, all aerial shots of atlanta include this grey snake weaving itself through downtown and midtown. think of how beautiful it could look covered in parks. i prefer a green snake over a grey one any day.
__________________
god, gold, and glory may have founded america...
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #39  
Old Posted Aug 21, 2007, 5:35 PM
foxmccleod's Avatar
foxmccleod foxmccleod is offline
Sustainable urbanism
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Midtown Atlanta
Posts: 359
Quote:
Originally Posted by gttx View Post
If the signs are correctly positioned in the middle of the road and you drive a normal size car, then they are not at all in the way.

If, on the other hand, someone has hit the sign and it's sticking into your lane (which is the case a lot), then you do need to move over to avoid it. Similarly, the egregious number of SUVs on the roads in-town cannot navigate around them without moving over. The real problem, then, is that people drive cars that are far too big and, often, drive too fast. People can blame the problem on the signs, but it would really just be avoiding the actual issue.
Does anyone know if there is somewhere we can go to request one of these pedestrian signs? I cross North at Myrtle almost daily, and with the distance between lights and the timing of the signals, it can be impossible to cross. Every now and then someone will be nice and stop, but with three lanes in each direction it is unusual to get all six clear.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #40  
Old Posted Sep 7, 2008, 12:47 AM
SWLong's Avatar
SWLong SWLong is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 1
I would like to see all traffic lights that dangle on wires replaced with lights mounted on mast arms. That stuff hanging from wires strung across the streets is unsightly and inappropriate for Atlanta.
Reply With Quote
     
     
This discussion thread continues

Use the page links to the lower-right to go to the next page for additional posts
 
 
Reply

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > United States > Southeast > Atlanta
Forum Jump


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 2:08 PM.

     
SkyscraperPage.com - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.