,
Cambridge IGCSE Geography
Urban settlements
Population growth of Atlanta
Case Study
City of Atlanta
7 000 000
An urban area – Atlanta, USA
Atlanta Metro Region CHEROKEE
BARTOW
6 000 000
HALL
FORSYTH
5 000 000
50
ATLANTA DEKALB DOUGLAS
WALTON
ROCKDALE CLAYTON NEWTON
2 000 000 1 000 000 2010
BUTTS
2000
0 SPALDING
1990
COWETTA
1980
HENRY
1970
FAYETTE
3 000 000
1960
FULTON
4 000 000
1950
Atlanta is the capital city of Georgia state. Its population has grown from 2 million in 1970 to over 6 million in 2013 – the fastest-growing metropolitan city in the USA. Recent population growth has been caused by newcomers from cities around the Great Lakes and the north-east, where unemployment is high and the cost of living is expensive. This growth has resulted in many problems, including traffic congestion, air pollution, lack of affordable housing and urban sprawl. The city now has a reputation for wallto-wall offices, shopping centres and vast suburbs. Planners are now trying to improve the economy and environment. Plans include investment in public transport which combines light rail with new pedestrian and bike links. Brownfield sites are being regenerated in the city
GWINNETT
COBB
PAULDING
BARROW
Number of people
A rapidly growing city
FULTON
Year
rather than further extending the city’s boundaries and building on greenfield sites. For example, a former steel mill site is being turned into office space, 5000 high-rise homes, town houses and single-family homes.
Atlanta BeltLine The Atlanta BeltLine uses old, abandoned railway tracks that were built before Atlanta was a city and uses them in a redevelopment plan which forms a loop around midtown and downtown Atlanta making up 22 miles of light rail transit, trails and green space.
75
85
Atlanta BeltLine Rail
Atlanta Memorial Park Tanyard Creek Park
Atlanta BeltLine Trail
PIEDMONT HOSPITAL Ardmore Park
MARTA
Piedmont Park Expansion ATLANTIC STATION
Interstate
ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDENS
Path Trails
Waterworks
Parks (existing)
Westside Reservoir Park GEORGIA TECH
Maddox Park
GEORGIA AQUARIUM Washington GEORGIA DOME Park
Enota Park
Parks (planned)
Piedmont Park
ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY CENTER
Historic Fourth Ward Park
WORLD OF COLA
Oakland Cemetery
TURNER FIELD
Grand Park
ZOO ATLANTA DH Stanton Park Four Corners Park
Hillside Park
CARTER CENTER
KING CENTER
GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY
20
Murphey Crossing Park
Freedom Park
Boulevard Crossing Park
Glenwood West Park Maynard Jackson High School Park
Atlanta BeltLine 285
Facts and figures
hectares of new green space and parks • 527 of shared-use paths • 53$20kmbillion new economic development • 30 000 newofpermanent from new businesses • in retail, entertainment,jobseducation, health care, professional services, hospitality, light industry, and the arts
new workforce housing units • 5600 000 new housing units anticipated along the • 50corridor neighbourhoods gain new and greater • 45connectivity of the city’s land mass covered in the planning • 8% area and 25% of Atlanta’s residential population The Atlanta BeltLine: A Green Future, by Ethan Davidson. US Department of Transportation: Federal Highway Administration