*********************************
There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
*********************************
In the fallout following a snow storm that led to historic gridlock in Atlanta, Georgia Tech School of City and Regional Planning alumni offer their ideas on preventing future shutdowns. President of Citizens for Progressive Transit David Emory (MCRP ’04) writes, "While there were many factors at play, there is one issue whose importance cannot be overstated: our lack of a truly robust regional transit infrastructure." He argues that even though the cost of expanded rail would be significant, the cost of maintaining a heavily car-dependent status quo is even greater. Baruch Feigenbaum (MCRP ’10), a transportation planning analyst for the Reason Foundation, argues that "Poor planning and policy decisions plagued the city" during the snowstorm. Feigenbaum believes that an improved snow plan should include pre-wetting roads, coordinating with the private sector for equipment and materials, and exercising greater caution when deciding whether or not to close schools.
