MARTA begins alternatives analysis for 400 corridor

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

i wasn't the one who said it. but either way, cobb's got their own transit system now, and even if the people voted it in, the county officials would nix it.

Oops, you're right. My apologies. And yes, CCT exists now. Not sure if any extension of MARTA would be nixed. Not enough info.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

Oops, you're right. My apologies. And yes, CCT exists now. Not sure if any extension of MARTA would be nixed. Not enough info.

I agree. What we have today is not your daddy's Cobb County.

When MARTA came up for a vote in 1968, Cobb had a population about 1/4 of what is today. That was also during the school desegregation wars and Cobb was predominantly white. Today whites are a little over half and there are large Hispanic, black and Asian populations.

Business and commerce have also exploded in Cobb. In 1968 there was no forest of skyscrapers, no mega malls and Kennesaw was a little village. Kennesaw State was a JC with maybe 1500 students, compared to 25,000 today. As I recall I-75 was still two lanes in each direction.

In short it's a vastly different situation today.

[cittic10]

It doesn't take 1-2 years to determine what people want. They don't want any of it.
They just want to sail down the highway in their SUV just as long as they don't build any more roads.

They won't take the bus. They won't carpool. They don't want tolls. They don't want more roads. I think the only thing that has a shot is rail but they will fight that tooth and nail. Too bad. Especially if it took you to the airport.

[cqholt]

Especially if it took you to the airport.

Luckily the Red Line doe go directly to the Airport on weekdays til 7pm.

[architect77]

Originally Posted by readyset

I just don't get it. The people constantly saying how much better D.C.s Metro rail is compared to Atlanta's Marta rail have you been smoking something? The way people talk one would think its like comparing a bullet train to a rapid bus transit but it couldn't be further from the truth.

Truth is D.C. and Atlanta's mass rail systems are VERY similar, far more similar than D.C. to new yorks. I would even say considering the circumstances Atlanta's is a better (cars are certainly neater and even have TVs).

People always talk about coverage, but while Atlanta's goes to less places it is not so far behind D.C. They both have their trade offs. For example Metro doesn't take you to Dulles airport. Perimeter area is the equivalent to Tysons Corner but Perimeter is already served by four stations while Tysons Corner does not have any yet.

A Heavy rail line through Cobb and Gwinett are really the only short comings for MARTA and thats not its fault. DeKalb county is equivalent to Prince George's County and only one Metro station goes past the beltway in Prince George's County.

If the Clifton corridor line is built as HRT and the Beltline is rail. I think the D.C. and Atlanta areas will be almost equal. They will certainly be on the same footing with their street car system and Atlanta's will go through much more important areas. I really just wish an HRT line would go through cobb county that seems to be a great priority that would put it on equal footing with Montgomery County or Fairfax County (which is about to finish a portion of its Metro extension)

Look, the bottom line is that people are too lazy to walk from either Buckhead MARTA station or any of Midtown's 3 stations to get where they need to go. If people only realized how good walking in the fresh air makes you feel. Now, I perceive waiting at traffic lights and hunting for parking spaces as very tiring, tedious, and back-pain inducing activities. Marta is so cool, the way it wisks you through the trees at up to 80mph. It's the only way to travel.