SPRAWL What is Sprawl?

SPRAWL is…  Ask ten people, you’ll probably get 10 different answers  Random unplanned growth  Inadequate access to housing, jobs, public services-schools, hospitals, mass transit  Literally sucked population, jobs, investment & tax base from urban core  Long Commutes, Automobile Dependence

No comprehensive public transportation system Fulton and DeKalb counties have (MARTA) the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority- rail & bus, but ridership and services are declining Three suburban counties have introduced their own bus systems Working? Transportation

New Regional Transportation Plan Short - Term Improvements Short - Term Improvements New Emissions Program New Emissions Program Smog Days Smog Days Reformulated Gasoline Reformulated Gasoline

Mid - Term Improvements HOV Lanes HOV Lanes Traffic Signal Upgrades Traffic Signal Upgrades Traffic Management System Traffic Management System Overhead Signs Overhead Signs Video Traffic Monitoring HERO HERO

Traffic Congestion Atlantans Drive 50% more miles a day than Los Angeles drivers 3 Million Cars million miles per day 44 hours of Delay Per Year

Commuter Characteristics Commuter Characteristics 78% S O V78% S O V 12% Carpool12% Carpool 5% Public Transit 5% Public Transit 2% Work at Home 2% Work at Home

Atlantans Drive 108,000,000 million miles/year 108,000,000 million miles/year Average 1.16 per car occupancy Average 1.16 per car occupancy 100 cars for 116 commuters 100 cars for 116 commuters

A 13-county region is now in non-compliance with federal clean air standards Traffic gridlock is the number one public policy issue in the region

Ground Level Ozone: Prime Ingredient in smog Ozone(0 3 ) sunlight/organic compounds/Nitrogen OxideOzone(0 3 ) sunlight/organic compounds/Nitrogen Oxide 58% pollutants from motor vehicles58% pollutants from motor vehicles Highest ozone levels occur on summer afternoonsHighest ozone levels occur on summer afternoons

Top 5 Fast Growing Metros Las Vegas 2 Phoenix 3 Atlanta 4 Orlando 5 Dallas Ft. Worth

Atlanta Metropolitan Area Characteristics  28 County Region, up from 20 in 1993  Population of 4.5 million  9 th in rank in nation  Only Phoenix Growing Faster, Metros>2 Million

Atlanta added in the 1990s:  1 Million persons  500,000 jobs

Atlanta Region Covers 15% of State’s Land Area  Atlanta Lost 50 Acres Forested Land/Day in the 1990s  Reputation of Los Angeles East  Party Animal of Growth

ATLANTA’S REPUTATION Los Angeles East Poster Child for Sprawl Sierra Club Media Reports

But the City is Growing  Modest growth in 1990s  Now growing 5,500 annually

 Over 200,000 Employment in Downtown /Midtown  Housing Market Benefiting From Back to City Trend  Expanding Sports/Entertainment Market Downtown/Midtown

Most Growth Has Been to the North  The Favored Quarter  Radial Highway Expansion

Northern Suburbs Now Have:  56% of Population  57% of Employment

Southern Suburbs Have:  30% of Population  21% of Employment

Spatial mismatch of jobs and housing continues to increase  Imbalance in suburban growth  Minorities disadvantaged

Initiatives to Counteract Prevailing Trend  Market Driven Back to City Trend  Livable Centers Initiative (LCI)  Regional Transportation Plan > Georgia Regional Transportation Authority  Smart Growth Alternative

Livable Centers Initiatives (LCI)  Atlanta Regional Commission Program  Funded with Transportation Monies  Now in 5 th Year

Funds Local Projects on Competitive Basis  $1M/year Planning Grants for 5 years  $350M for Implementation  Emphasis on Revitalizing Old Town Centers Malls, etc. > Pedestrianization, Streetscapes, Expanding Housing Opportunities, Transit Access, etc.

Smart Growth Alternative Having Limited Impact What is needed: More pedestrianization More open spaces; clustering units Fewer cul-de-sacs; more town centers More mixed-uses Less segregative zoning More affordable housing near jobs

Smart Growth Alternatives Largely in Talk Stage Mixed Use Developments Difficult to Finance Most Examples in City Not Suburbs

Population densities are increasing throughout region due to infill developments and the urbanization of the suburbs Positive Sign