The Atlanta Braves are trying to convince people that it will be easy to get to SunTrust Park. But with about 81 days until Opening Day, it’s fair to suggest that concerns still exist.
Admittedly, being an out-of-towner with some challenges to walking long distances, I will be waiting for a while before trying SunTrust Park for my next Atlanta Braves game.
Beyond that, though, there are the locals – whom this park is intended to serve – that may face their own challenges. That’s the main topic of the Chop today…
Braves, Cobb spar over transportation projects at SunTrust Park
DAN KLEPAL, MERIS LUTZ – AJC.COM
“Three months before the first pitch at SunTrust Park, the Atlanta Braves’ front office is claiming Cobb County taxpayers owe $14 million for roads, walkways and other pedestrian improvements at the team’s new stadium.
“The Braves have already paid most of those expenses, and team officials say the county is contractually obligated to reimburse them. The county says it has already paid that — and much more.
“The dispute has been on-going since December, with origins that date to the earliest agreements forged by the county and team in 2013 and 2014. Those contracts require that $14 million in public funds be spent on transportation improvements, and are vague as to the exact projects covered by the money.
“Cobb transportation director Jim Wilgus wrote in a Dec. 2 memo to County Manager David Hankerson that taxpayers have already spent $69.5 million on nine road projects for the stadium and privately owned, mixed-use development.
…
“The Braves’ list includes $5.8 million for public roads inside the mixed-use development; $5.7 million for elevated walkways over two outside roads; and $2.2 million for pedestrian improvements between the ballpark and satellite parking lots.”
[ Ed. note: it appears that the Braves have at least realized that waiting on the County to get these projects done would be a disaster, as they are desperately needed as part of the overall plan to help get people in and off site.
Yet even a cursory look at the jobsite this morning shows that crews will be scrambling to finish key elements by the time the first game is played at the end of March (an exhibition against the Yankees to complete the Grapefruit League schedule).
The article goes on to cite a state-mandated traffic study concluding that sold-out games will put 20,000 extra cars into the immediate neighborhood around SunTrust.
However, the Braves will have only 10,000 parking spaces close by on Opening Day… though promising “thousands of additional spaces within walking distance.”
Oh, and did we mention that Cobb County banned the common practice of local neighbors selling space in their front yards for extra parking? There is a move to reverse that ban, but at last word, no vote had been taken on the matter. ]
Apr 4, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Police and security direct traffic as Boston Red Sox fans make their way into Fenway Park for an opening day game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Braves Rolling Out New Transportation Information
ACCESS EASY WITH PLANS IN PLACE
JARED BURLEYSON – ATLANTABRAVES.COM
“We looked at the challenges that we’ve experienced at Turner Field for the past 18 years and identified what those were, what made it difficult for fans to get to games in a more expedient manner, in a more efficient manner, and we combined that knowledge with a team of experts,” said Mike Plant, Braves executive vice president of business operations. “We’ve got a great team of traffic experts including Kimley-Horn and JLL working closely with Cobb’s Department of Transportation and the GDOT (Georgia Department of Transportation).
“We’re not just doing this by taking some maps out and saying, ‘Hey, let’s figure out how to take care of our transit, transportation and parking plan.'”
…
Before fans can park, though, they have to arrive. Traffic experts identified 17 different access points for SunTrust Park and the mixed-use development, including six from the east (Akers Mill, I-285, Interstate North Parkway, Terrell Mill Road, Windy Hill Road and Windy Ridge Parkway), five from the west (Cumberland Parkway, I-285, Spring Hill Parkway, Spring Road and Windy Hill Road), three from the south (Akers Mill, Cobb Parkway, I-75) and three from the north (Cobb Parkway, I-75 and Powers Ferry Road). The 17 unique access points are 15 more than currently exist at Turner Field.
>> Atlanta Braves graphic – full size version can be had by clicking here.
In conjunction with this, the Braves released a transportation update video last week. Here it is (or via this direct link):
[ Ed. note: Okay, we’ve heard of ’14 points of access’ for a while now… here they are on this graphic above… though it seems there are now 3 more access points not pictured, according to the write-up.
Admittedly, I have concerns – and certainly my GPS won’t be helping me get around these new roads. Right now, if I were trying to get to the stadium, my best guess is to find out where the closest confluence of a Cobb Connector bus and a tram pickup site exists, and then park at a Cobb bus station.
That plan would keep me and my vehicle safely away from the action while hopefully minimizing the walk on arrival. ]
Apr 13, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals teammates watch a tribute video to memorialize former Cardinal Oscar Taveras before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Please, MLB: Communicate With These Dominican Players!
More from Tomahawk Take
The list is getting shockingly long:
That’s a list of Dominican Republic-born baseball players or prospects killed in traffic wrecks in their native country in just the past 2-plus years.
This country is already notorious for its traffic safety issues: the World Health Organization concluded in 2015 that the DR has the highest mortality rate in accidents in this hemisphere.
What’s equally shocking is that many of these wrecks are not being survived. This strongly is suggestive of one of the following factors: speed, alcohol, and failure to use seat belts.
We don’t yet have details on either of this weekend’s wrecks, but this is a bad trend among Dominican players, and Major League Baseball needs to have a fatherly sit-down with these kids at the end of each season.
Tell them in no uncertain terms that they are not invincible. They are not bullet-proof. They are not protected even within the shell of a car … or motorcycle. Show the pictures. Show the deaths. To quote a favorite movie line: ‘They’re kids…. scare ’em’.
Perhaps the influence of Pedro Martinez or David Ortiz could be used well here… people who these players would clearly respect.
We’re losing too many… and many times for reasons that are preventable.
Will this latest pair be enough to spur some to action?
