Citing Cost, City of Atlanta Says MARTA Won’t Operate Streetcar (costs, rail)

[spotch]

Originally Posted by cqholt

This will most likely be ran like the portland streetcar. The outsourced company will not raise rates.
Please take the walking tour. All these questions are answered and more.

Because Atlanta has always handled it's city planning and mass transit just as efficiently and professionally as Portland does?

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by spotch

Because Atlanta has always handled it's city planning and mass transit just as efficiently and professionally as Portland does?

The state is the biggest obsticale to atlanta.

[spotch]

Originally Posted by cqholt

The state is the biggest obsticale to atlanta.

Agreed. But saying Atlanta's implementation will be just like Portland's simply because Portland has a streetcar is a pretty enormous leap of faith.


I'll tell you what, I'll predict this ends up being implemented poorly and you predict it will run smooth as silk, and in a few years we'll see who's right. As of now, I have little faith in it working out well. And even if it does somehow, I refuse to believe that a patchwork mass transit system, in the city of Atlanta, run by different organizations (and different types of organizations), is somehow superior to a streamlined, horizontally-integrated system.

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by spotch

Agreed. But saying Atlanta's implementation will be just like Portland's simply because Portland has a streetcar is a pretty enormous leap of faith.


I'll tell you what, I'll predict this ends up being implemented poorly and you predict it will run smooth as silk, and in a few years we'll see who's right. As of now, I have little faith in it working out well. And even if it does somehow, I refuse to believe that a patchwork mass transit system, in the city of Atlanta, run by different organizations (and different types of organizations), is somehow superior to a streamlined, horizontally-integrated system.

I don't think it will be so much a patchwork. I fully expect the management of this streetcar to be the test bed for a private transit entity to run a much more robust transit network in the city and the metro. The only way rail transit will be extended outside of the two counties is with a public private partnership. The mayor has already stated that the p3 concept is the way transit will be developed along the belt line. This will be the test.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by spotch

Agreed. But saying Atlanta's implementation will be just like Portland's simply because Portland has a streetcar is a pretty enormous leap of faith.


I'll tell you what, I'll predict this ends up being implemented poorly and you predict it will run smooth as silk, and in a few years we'll see who's right. As of now, I have little faith in it working out well. And even if it does somehow, I refuse to believe that a patchwork mass transit system, in the city of Atlanta, run by different organizations (and different types of organizations), is somehow superior to a streamlined, horizontally-integrated system.

No, portland streetcar is not ran by MAX, but outsourced to another company than the regional transit agency. The streetcars are owned by the city. Educate yourself.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by cqholt

The state is the biggest obsticale to atlanta.

I truly don't understand this hatred of the state.

[gerrythesnake]

Could someone post a link to the first Marta rail line in 1979. I'm trying to find it but I cant

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by gerrythesnake

Could someone post a link to the first Marta rail line in 1979. I'm trying to find it but I cant

Well, if you believe Wikipedia (I do in this matter of course, but some don't) it ran from Avondale to Georgia State.

[waronxmas]

While in theory I think MARTA would best run the streetcars, I understand why the city is going this route. It's really quite simple to see: the City would be free from MARTA's 50/50 rule.

If the streetcars were to be run by MARTA, they would have to compete for operating and capital funds with MARTA's bus and subway fleet. That would hamper the city's aggressive expansion plans for the streetcars due to the arbitrary funding rules. It would also come at a time when MARTA finally finds themselves in a position to reduce headways on train service and increase/bus services after years of cuts. If you are an every day rider, which would you rather MARTA do? Increase and expand the current fleet and services, or invest money in a new streetcar network that could take 20 years to be fully realized? Yeah, I thought so.

By going this other route, the City itself will be able to solely dictate funding on their own terms. Can't blame them for that. Also, as mentioned previously this isn't exactly new territory. Portland has two entities for it's public transit system as does the city of San Francisco. BART is a regional entity like MARTA, while the streetcars and buses are ran by MUNI which is owned by the City of San Francisco alone.

In other words, all of those who want to see a rapid expansion of streetcars in the city (or complain about how far the not yet finished first leg of a new system doesn't go ), this is the way to accomplish it.

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by MattCW

Well, if you believe Wikipedia (I do in this matter of course, but some don't) it ran from Avondale to Georgia State.

In this case, they are correct:

MARTA - About MARTA - History