Franklin,TN- highly overated
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7/6/2013
Well, this town gets high reviews everywhere you look, it seems. Yet from the perspective of a person who has lived in a variety of states, due to moving because of my job, I find this place highly over-rated. Many online sites state how it is such a wonderful place to live, adding onto that how affordable it is, yet after living here for nearly four years, I find it to be kind of a sham. The quaint downtown is truly a front- which many towns are- but this one seems to be more than most.
The proximity to Nashville makes it desirable to many with hopes of making it big. As such, they are prepared to pay the high cost of living here: very high rental prices (for what you get), extreme traffic build-ups and delays that in reality rival LA, and it is nowhere near the size, and a city board that gives the impression they can do no wrong.
Many folks love a small town, and this is what was one at one time. But now, with the growth of Nashville, it is a packed bedroom community, that also is between areas to the south that are a bit more affordable and the big city. As such, thousands and thousands of vehicles travel through the two roads that come from the south headed for Nashville, only to find constipation created by many schools placed on the main traveled roads, traffic light patterns that were designed by a masochist, a police force that acts like lurkers, and poorly thought out road closures. Additionally, there is no direct way through the town as a whole. The city was laid out in the 1700's on a 45 degree angle to the normal North-South plan, and it has never been changed, nor has there been a true by-pass made to make it possible to transit this area without significant delays. It is not uncommon for the 5 mile trip to cross this town to take in excess of 25 minutes. Add rush hour, and one can be looking at 40 minutes plus. There are no ways around the mess. One newcomer asked several of us "what is the short-cut to getting through town? You live here, help me out!" We just laughed at her. There is no such thing.
Parades are wonderful things in small towns, and this should be no exception- except the City Fathers tend to block streets without warning to the residents, effectively keeping many folks from being able to go about their business for hours- for the sake of a 2k run, or a school celebration parade. Although I live a mile from downtown, every holiday winds up blocking or seriously hindering travel from my home.
True, the folks you meet are friendly overall. Many of them simply LOVE this place. But then, many that love this place don't actually live in this place, but come here from the outskirts of town. As they are part of the congestion, it doesn't matter to them. They came to enjoy what is here, and can leave and get out of it. The true old-timers that live here seem to have simply given up on ever seeing the town be true to what it has been, and find the spending by the city council simply beyond words: Far too many millions for a police station that is out of place in a small town-rather looks like it came out of Metropolis, and Superman should be flying in any moment. $4 million plus for a transit authority building that cannot accommodate the transit buses.
Overall, if the traffic were properly dealt with, and the consideration was given by the city to road closures for whatever reason, it would be a far better place to live. It is friendly to foot traffic in the old town. It is a pretty place, if one likes eastern towns. There are many historical places to visit, with a number of very old buildings. There are many choices for places to eat, and public parking is free with a four hour limit to your location. Move your car, and you get another four hours. Not many places offer such a deal. So there are positives here. I just think there are too few to support the reputation this place has been given on the internet.
JB | Franklin, TN