Congestion Relief Ahead Along State Route 316 Between Lawrenceville and Athens

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by JMatl

I'm a huge proponent of the Brain Train, and it should already be up and running in my opinion.

That being said, this upgrade to 316 should have happened years ago for safety reasons alone.

I'm sure it is needed, just that we should really be able to have and build both. After all, trains are still safer than cars.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Gulch

Actually, the real long-term plan is to grade-separate the entire corridor.

78 is actually a more direct route from the central and southern part of the metro. I'd like to see it upgraded from Snellville to Athens. Not really room (and doesn't fit their plans) from Snellville to Stone Mountain unless you do a bypass.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Hmm, you could almost call it a mega-region. Especially if Athens grows larger, into more than just a small city completely dependent on a university. Athens is too far away from Atlanta to be a suburb of Atlanta.

Limited access highways do make all the difference. Like, if in addition to 316, Athens also ever had a limited access highway connected it north to I-85, south to I-20, or both. Then it would be like a hub city. That's how Atlanta grew.

Like, Macon would grow up like crazy if there was a direct limited access interstate from Montgomery > Columbus > Macon > Augusta. And Augusta would grow if there was a Savannah > Augusta interstate.

If Gwinnett develops a bigger employment base Athens could easily become part of the MSA. Non-rush hour down 78 its only about an hour and 15 minutes to downtown. And very little of that is freeway.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by JMatl

I'm a huge proponent of the Brain Train, and it should already be up and running in my opinion.

That being said, this upgrade to 316 should have happened years ago for safety reasons alone.

Agree with both statements. 316 always makes me nervous with those intersections.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

I'm sure it is needed, just that we should really be able to have and build both. After all, trains are still safer than cars.

Could not agree more.

Think of the impact to this road the Brain Train would have on game day weekends alone.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by JMatl

Could not agree more.

Think of the impact to this road the Brain Train would have on game day weekends alone.

Or various conferences or concerts. Pretty much any major event would likely require special trains to handle the crowds, vs. the normal, most likely well used weekday trains used for commuting.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by JMatl

I'm a huge proponent of the Brain Train, and it should already be up and running in my opinion.

That being said, this upgrade to 316 should have happened years ago for safety reasons alone.

It was supposed to have been done with the Olympics.

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Will the 2 metro's combine?

Not likely. The absolute edge of the Atlanta exurban fringe is now between GA 81 and GA 11 near Bethlehem, and the absolute edge of the Athens exurban fringe is now between GA 211 and Barber Creek Road near Statham. There's still a good six miles of rural area between the edges of each exurban fringe. Furthermore, Athens is still the most populous county in northeast Georgia, so I doubt that 25% or more of the employed population in Oconee County will commute to jobs in Barrow County or Walton County. In fact, the commuter sheds in Jackson County cancel it out of both metropolitan areas.

[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Also, they will eventually need a ramp to go from I-85 south to 316 east.

This should have been done already.