lotstodo said:
Drive around I-285, get off at every exit and drive 2 miles in either direction. Do this at every exit, or at least those that you feel like you can survive. That is what "development" you will find. You will find gas stations, fast food joints, bars, and cheap motels. The exceptions to that rule are industrial complexes that existed before I-285 was completed, including Fulton Industrial, Conley, and the Mountain Industrial area which isn't really served by an interstate, but by an expanded State Highway. We don't need that kind of development growing willy nilly around the few exits that will be here. What we need is prudent industrial development accessible from US 41, and Hwys 61 , 278 and 92. We should be fighting for the needed expansion of these arterial highways, and a zoning board with balls instead of buying into some "Developmental" toll road that will only develop the developer's and politician's bank accounts while leaving us with noise, congestion, pollution, and low quality development catering to the traveling public.
Hwy 92, Hwy 61, Hwy 101 and Hwy 278 are already planned and approved for major expansion projects. But with current funding issues, the first project is a minimum of 5 to 10 years off. That is Hwy 92, which was approved for expansion back in the late 80's.
I've attended most of the public GDOT meetings over the last 5/8 years and they have all kinds of road improvements planned...... over the next 30 to 50 years. I agree, these would make better sense to improve, if you could make them all "Limited Access" roads with few red lights. But that will never happen.
As for development connecting to Hwy 41, forget that idea. Too much residential development in those areas. Maybe, just maybe when they connect Dabbs Bridge to I-75 you might get something in that area but I doubt that project will even get started before the housing market returns back to what we saw 6 years ago and then it will be too late.
There are no easy answers to this. If we do not think outside the box some, and quickly, we are going to miss the boat all together.
And Dave, I moved here in 1989 when this County WAS rural. I have seen many, many changes since then. And I worked for Cobb Co also, so I knew what the drive was like also. Why did you move here? Good schools, easy living, quiet communities? Yeah, me too. The real flood of residential development started around 1998/2000 and lasted until 2007 locally. So wouldn't that make you part of the problem you complain about? I'm just saying, glad to have you here and you are welcome to come back if that Fla air gets too thick. ;-) But you moved here during the time our population doubled in this rural county.
And for those who think Paulding County is still a rural community? WRONG. We lost that status many years ago. The ONLY thing that managed to stop the housing construction was the economy. And when the economy comes back, so will all the builders. We cannot put gates up at the County line to keep people from moving here! In fact, the ARC has predicted by 2050 that Paulding County will have a population over 400K and could reach 700K. That is more then Cobb currently has. If you want land around you, better buy it now! This is the reality of what we will be facing for the rest of our lives. Predictions also show that the Atlanta "Metro" area will extend from Macon North to the Tenn/N.Car line and from AL to SC line. That doesn't sound very rural to me.