is this par for the course on MARTA? (from a visitor) (Atlanta: how much, live)

[ATLTJL]

If Atlanta had passed their transportation tax bill, they too would be building new Marta lines but it failed sadly.

Not exactly.

The north line woud extend a couple of miles and a light rail extension would go to Emory.

Not exactly a great bang for the $1 billion buck.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Not exactly.

The north line woud extend a couple of miles and a light rail extension would go to Emory.

Not exactly a great bang for the $1 billion buck.

Well $1 billion isn't a lot of money for transit and for heavy rail isn't anything? You can't build anything with $1 billion in 2013. The 23 mile Silver metro line costs $6 billion. The Dulles Toll road users are paying for that. If Atlanta had all those people driving pay for Marta expansion, you would have a massive system. But that only works in progressive metro's up here. That was my point. You can't have your cake and eat it too. People want low taxes, but they also want urban infrastructure. Well how do they think the major cities in the country pay for that infrastructure?

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Through a series of grants, the federal government has subsidized 65% of the capital costs of WMATA since its inception. That is easily enough verified. Just Google.

Progressive = Doing it with other people's money.

Nice try.

You must be confused. The post read:

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

D.C.'s Metro, a system which continues to grow and remains in expansion mode.

Then you said:

Originally Posted by Ant131531

LOL, D.C.'s system is 10x better than Atlanta's. D.C.'s transit is near-world class and Atlanta's barely passes as a city metro system.

Then I said:

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

You couldn't be less informed. Please educate yourself before making asinine assumptions.

Maryland is building new light rail lines because unlike Atlanta, it passed a transportation tax bill to pay for them.
Press Statement: Maryland Senate Passes Transportation Funding Bill | Coalition for Smarter Growth

Virginia is building a new metro line because unlike Atlanta, it passed a transportation tax bill to pay for it.
Virginia lawmakers approve sweeping transportation plan - Washington Post

Most of the money for the new 23 mile Silver Metro Line is being paid for by tolls on the Dulles Toll Road anyway.
Official: To build Silver Line, expect ?heartburn level? Dulles Toll Road rates - Washington Post

D.C., unlike Atlanta is paying for their 37 mile, 8 line, streetcar network with our own tax dollars allocating $400 million to the project so far. We haven't received any federal money for our first 2+ mile line that open 's this year.
Streetcars Arrive in D.C. to Begin Testing Phase: DCist


If Atlanta had passed their transportation tax bill, they too would be building new Marta lines but it failed sadly. If anybody wants to know the biggest difference between Atlanta and D.C. when it comes to transportation, it's the difference in the progressive nature of the region's.

Then you said:

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Through a series of grants, the federal government has subsidized 65% of the capital costs of WMATA since its inception. That is easily enough verified. Just Google.

Progressive = Doing it with other people's money.

Nice try.

What does expansion mode and growing have to do with money given in the past? This is 2013 and expansion is done for transit without the federal government for every city. Money is pretty much dried up and has been for some time. Atlanta better get on board with the taxes or it's going to be left behind by places like Dallas and Denver which are providing the money needed to expand their systems. If you keep making excuses for your region not wanting to be progressive, you're going to be looking up at everyone.

[BajanYankee]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Through a series of grants, the federal government has subsidized 65% of the capital costs of WMATA since its inception. That is easily enough verified. Just Google.

Progressive = Doing it with other people's money.

Nice try.

But Metro was built from money that was intended for highway construction.

Beltway received full funding; funding for the ambitious Inner Loop Freeway system was partially reallocated toward construction of the Metro system.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Metro

[AtlJan]

I have to agree w/ LovinDecatur, "progressive=doing it w/ other people's money." MDAllstar, it boggles my mind how anyone could suggest raising taxes--for a train or anything else--under current circumstances. Our local governments are going belly up one by one due to overspending. Our federal government is monetizing its massive debt--which will catch up to us (massive inflation) as soon as the rest of the world switches out of the US dollar...If you want to know why TSPLOST was voted down, that's why. Enough Georgians were willing to say No. No. No to the endless govt spending. I am not buying the idea that we need these roads/bridges/trains to grow our economy. The only people I know who wanted it, had a personal stake in it (engineers, government workers, realtors)...

Anyway, a visitor gets hassled on the train in a big U.S. city: I don't think that is news to anyone. . .

[BajanYankee]

Originally Posted by AtlJan

I have to agree w/ LovinDecatur, "progressive=doing it w/ other people's money." MDAllstar, it boggles my mind how anyone could suggest raising taxes--for a train or anything else--under current circumstances. Our local governments are going belly up one by one due to overspending. Our federal government is monetizing its massive debt--which will catch up to us (massive inflation) as soon as the rest of the world switches out of the US dollar...If you want to know why TSPLOST was voted down, that's why. Enough Georgians were willing to say No. No. No to the endless govt spending. I am not buying the idea that we need these roads/bridges/trains to grow our economy. The only people I know who wanted it, had a personal stake in it (engineers, government workers, realtors)...

Anyway, a visitor gets hassled on the train in a big U.S. city: I don't think that is news to anyone. . .

Not sure if you read my post, but Metro was built with money that was intended for construction of the Capital Beltway. Any U.S. city could have similarly diverted funding from highway to mass transit construction, including Atlanta.

[testa50]

I ride MARTA daily when not traveling.

OP's experience isn't typical, but it's also not a fluke. Panhandlers used to be a daily fixture before the police presence buildup, but now I probably see one about twice a week (maybe one ride in five, in other words). Annoyingly, about five people account for ~80% of the panhandling I see (I know the deaf woman you're talking about). I have heard over and over again the same stories about having a job lined up but no paycheck for another week or two, or holding up a map and pointing to a supposed shelter a police office told them about that costs $9--it's going to be BS the vast majority of the time and you should ignore it.

I see people vending occasionally, but normally not north of Peachtree Center. I've never seen vendors be aggressive before.

As I guy I'm not sure how often girls get aggressive attention. Probably on occasion, but not daily by any means. I've never seen someone hit the side of the railcar over a girl.

I've only been scared on MARTA once, and that was from an obviously mentally unstable person making threatening gestures. He was apprehended by the police after about 3-4 stations.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

You must be confused. The post read:



Then you said:



Then I said:



Then you said:




What does expansion mode and growing have to do with money given in the past? This is 2013 and expansion is done for transit without the federal government for every city. Money is pretty much dried up and has been for some time. Atlanta better get on board with the taxes or it's going to be left behind by places like Dallas and Denver which are providing the money needed to expand their systems. If you keep making excuses for your region not wanting to be progressive, you're going to be looking up at everyone.

Sorry, but a snapshot does not make a reasonable substitute for a full length video. The federal government has made a significant and prolonged investment in WMATA; MARTA received an initial grant, and that was that. MARTA doesn't even receive state funding.
So spare me the high-flown braggadocio about WMATA. We've all had to write a check for it. MARTA, considering its limited resources, hasn't done all that bad.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Sorry, but a snapshot does not make a reasonable substitute for a full length video. The federal government has made a significant and prolonged investment in WMATA; MARTA received an initial grant, and that was that. MARTA doesn't even receive state funding.
So spare me the high-flown braggadocio about WMATA. We've all had to write a check for it. MARTA, considering its limited resources, hasn't done all that bad.

Sorry, but you are also wrong. D.C. used federal highway money to build metro. Atlanta used federal highway money to build highways.
Washington's unbuilt highways - Greater Greater Washington


You sir are very misinformed.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Well, that was 1965. The metro gets it every year. We don't even get state funding.

Actually, MARTA does get federal funding, LD. Usually around $100-120 million a year, although we got a nice bump from the 2010 stimulus.