Design Your Own MARTA Expansion (Atlanta, Savannah: live, price, delivery)

[mike7586]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Those interested in Commuter Rail should take a look at this:

Track Twenty-Nine: Envisioning a New Rail Hub for Atlanta: Part III




And this:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/15838250-post8.html

Argh, this is so frustrating because the commuter rail plan GDOT has for the Atlanta metro (you can find a map on their website) would be the most bang for our money. It's a lot less expensive to build, trains don't have to run every 15-20 minutes ALL DAY long so operating expenses are lower, and you can reach pretty much every quadrant of the metro area so almost everyone will have access to it. To build out the entire system, it would probably cost $1 to $1.5 billion... that is the cost of the HOT lane system they want to build on I-75 in Cobb County and you still are going to have to pay a toll to use the new lanes. Also, the 2012 transit tax will generate $7-8 billion over its life of 10 years... this commuter rail system won't even cost half of that amount! Compare that to the HOT lane system they want to build which would cost something like $16 billion! So frustrating this state can't get it together and people here are so stubborn.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by mike7586

Argh, this is so frustrating because the commuter rail plan GDOT has for the Atlanta metro (you can find a map on their website) would be the most bang for our money. It's a lot less expensive to build, trains don't have to run every 15-20 minutes ALL DAY long so operating expenses are lower, and you can reach pretty much every quadrant of the metro area so almost everyone will have access to it. To build out the entire system, it would probably cost $1 to $1.5 billion... that is the cost of the HOT lane system they want to build on I-75 in Cobb County and you still are going to have to pay a toll to use the new lanes. Also, the 2012 transit tax will generate $7-8 billion over its life of 10 years... this commuter rail system won't even cost half of that amount! Compare that to the HOT lane system they want to build which would cost something like $16 billion! So frustrating this state can't get it together and people here are so stubborn.

I totally agree with you.

I think a commuter rail system (with the Multi-Modal Transportation Hub Downtown at Five Points) should be the ultimate priority.

I would call our commuter rail system CRONG.
(Commuter Rail of North Georgia)


CRONG...faster than a silver bullet!

(CRONG would have silver trains--and would be designated in silver on transit maps.)

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by mike7586

Argh, this is so frustrating because the commuter rail plan GDOT has for the Atlanta metro (you can find a map on their website) would be the most bang for our money. It's a lot less expensive to build, trains don't have to run every 15-20 minutes ALL DAY long so operating expenses are lower, and you can reach pretty much every quadrant of the metro area so almost everyone will have access to it. To build out the entire system, it would probably cost $1 to $1.5 billion... that is the cost of the HOT lane system they want to build on I-75 in Cobb County and you still are going to have to pay a toll to use the new lanes. Also, the 2012 transit tax will generate $7-8 billion over its life of 10 years... this commuter rail system won't even cost half of that amount! Compare that to the HOT lane system they want to build which would cost something like $16 billion! So frustrating this state can't get it together and people here are so stubborn.

I'm a commuter rail booster to...so don't take this the wrong way... I just want to keep the facts clean and honest. I think commuter rail is the single biggest impact we can do to help our area in the immediate future.

Commuter rail is usually much cheaper to implement, however the operational costs per passenger are actually much higher. The difference is it moves people further and usually people with the ability to pay higher fares to ride as well (Someone commuting from Lawrenceville to Atlanta is probably already saving $5 in gas going just one way alone... besides the convenience). The other positive factor is its the cheapest way to provide transit to far off low density areas, even if it does cost.

A good commuter rail system in Atlanta will not move near as many people as the existing HRT system, however it strategically removes people who commute long distances (eliminating traffic on long lengths of roadway) and it moves people only at peak times when the roadways are most congested.

The cheapest operationally is a well constructed HRT lines, which attract drive in commuters, and neighbor more dense areas to attract high ridership. However, the downside..... muuuch more expensive to build by a long shot.

The difference is probably in the ballpark of $7-9/passenger (commuter rail) and $2-4/passenger (HRT).

However, despite the need for subsidies to operate it, it is still a cheaper long term option. The construction and operations cost of 20 miles of commuter rail given the amount of passengers it can handle is still cheaper than the construction and maintenance of an extra lane constructed on already overbuilt congested freeway often bordering very expensive land to buy for ROW.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by aries4118

I totally agree with you.

I think a commuter rail system (with the Multi-Modal Transportation Hub Downtown at Five Points) should be the ultimate priority.

I would call our commuter rail system CRONG.
(Commuter Rail of North Georgia)

CRONG...faster than a silver bullet!

(CRONG would have silver trains--and would be designated in silver on transit maps.)

I can see/hear the anti transit slogans now:

CRONG is WRONG.

You have a lot of good ideas, Aries, but this one is a stinker.

For the record, I'm VERY MUCH in support of mass-transit in all forms.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by JPD

You have a lot of good ideas, Aries, but this one is a stinker.

CROGA = Commuter Rail of Greater Atlanta???

GACR = Greater Atlanta Commuter Rail???

CRAS = Commuter Rail of the American South???

CROUG = Commuter Rail of Upper Georgia???


Help...!

[JPD]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Don't feel bad. Your batting average is still very high.

Crong - - the sound of cheap metal being pelted with dirt clods.

Probably not the best word to associate with a transit system which will be made of metal.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by JPD

Don't feel bad. Your batting average is still very high.

Crong - - the sound of cheap metal being pelted with dirt clods.

Probably not the best word to associate with a transit system which will be made of metal.

[MathmanMathman]

CRONG sounds like some fictional transit system on The Simpsons.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

CRONG sounds like some fictional transit system on The Simpsons.

[ostriches]

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