Michael also points to this release by the Atlanta Regional Commission…

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and the Livable Communities Coalition (LCC) recognized five of the region’s most innovative developments and one “Great Place,” with the 2012 Developments of Excellence Awards. The winners, announced at ARC’s annual State of the Region breakfast on Friday, October 12, were:

• Historic Fourth Ward Park, Development of Excellence
• Downtown Decatur, Great Place
• Downtown Norcross, Livable Centers Initiative Achievement Award
• College Park Gateway Center, Exceptional Merit for Public-Private Partnership
• Ivy Hall, Exceptional Merit for Historic Preservation
• Emory Point, Exceptional Merit for Infill Development

After the jump you can read the specific write ups for Decatur and Emory Point.  At the end of the other link above you can read ALL the individual write ups!

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From an AJC article about long-rusted political wheels trying to move forward to eliminate the “piecemeal” nature of Georgia’s transportation system.  (Of course a “system” implies that parts are working in support of each other.  Hmm…how about we call it “Georgia’s transportation anarchy” instead?

A poll released by the Livable Communities Coalition on Wednesday showed that the referendum would probably pass — barely. Polling 400 people who vote in minor elections in the ten-county Atlanta region, it found suburbanites outside the five-county Atlanta area opposed it 55 percent to 40 percent. Clayton, Cobb and Gwinnett were neutral on it, but Fulton and DeKalb supported it 63 percent to 32 percent. Whites opposed it 53 percent to 45 percent, and African-Americans supported it 79 percent to 15 percent. Republicans opposed it 66 percent to 31 percent, where Democrats supported it 79 percent to 18 percent. Some of the more solid supporters: those with commutes longer than 30 minutes.

Apparently ‘burbanites they like their long commutes just fine, thank you very much.

But seriously, this poll seems to foretell that if metro-Atlantans want the transportation referendum to have a good chance of passing, it will need to include tangible projects for the suburban counties, as well as inner-city, rail-soaked goodness.  This may not thrill some ITPers hoping to see all their projects tackled at once, but based on the makeup of our transportation district, it looks like it’ll be necessary.

Photo courtesy of WriterChad