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I think they're mostly in one of the "behind the scenes" phases where they're working on it, but there's not much they can say. You could try an e-mail to their planning department or one of the personnel in charge of things. It looks like right now they're working toward the final alternatives analysis before picking a locally preferred analysis. The next phase should be the environmental review.
The long-overdue expansion of heavy rail service north up the Georgia 400 to Alpharetta is still being planned. It's just that no source of revenue to fund the construction of the expansion of the rail transit line seems to have yet been identified, nor do the expansion plans seem to have been finalized. MARTA > About Marta > Planning
Basically, they are trying to encourage transit oriented developments along potential stops to generate ridership if they ever get around to building it. Its still on the table but there's no schedule.
It will probably get built, but I wouldnt count on see an actual s station opened until atleast 2025. Unless gas shoots up to $5-7 a gallon and stays there for 2-3 years, nothing will speed up the process for transit.
It will probably get built, but I wouldnt count on see an actual s station opened until atleast 2025. Unless gas shoots up to $5-7 a gallon and stays there for 2-3 years, nothing will speed up the process for transit.
Or unless we actually start charging drivers for the roads they are using...
Basically, they are trying to encourage transit oriented developments along potential stops to generate ridership if they ever get around to building it. Its still on the table but there's no schedule.
Encouraging TOD (transit-oriented developments) at and around potential stations is the way to go when comes to funding because of the ability of that TOD to generate increased ridership and operating revenue. They're definitely on the right track with this move.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jsvh
Or unless we actually start charging drivers for the roads they are using...
With both the state and the feds continuing to move towards going completely broke when it comes to transportation funding, collecting a much more adequate level of funding revenues directly from major pieces of transportation infrastructure (controlled-access highways and high-capacity transit lines) is something that is definitely in the works at this point.
Uh, we already charge people for the roads they use.
That's a good point.
But the problem is that we don't charge people enough to actually pay the costs of building and maintaining the roads they use without seemingly cripplingly massive amounts of borrowing, an amount of borrowing that is unsustainable over the long-term and maybe over the intermediate term.
The failure to collect a much more adequate amount of road funding revenues from fuel taxes (by at least indexing fuel taxes to inflation to always cover much more of the current cost of building and maintaining the road network) and user fees (by collecting inflation-indexed distance-based tolls on all controlled-access portions of highway) is the major reason why both the Georgia Department of Transportation road maintenance fund and the federal highway trust fund are almost completely depleted to point of total exhaustion at this point.
But the problem is that we don't charge people enough to actually pay the costs of building and maintaining the roads they use without seemingly cripplingly massive amounts of borrowing, an amount of borrowing that is unsustainable over the long-term and maybe over the intermediate term.
The failure to collect a much more adequate amount of road funding revenues from fuel taxes (by at least indexing fuel taxes to inflation to always cover much more of the current cost of building and maintaining the road network) and user fees (by collecting inflation-indexed distance-based tolls on all controlled-access portions of highway) is the major reason why both the Georgia Department of Transportation road maintenance fund and the federal highway trust fund are almost completely depleted to point of total exhaustion at this point.
So charge enough to cover the costs. If schools can charge a "separate" millage rate to the property taxes, then maybe it's time to treat the roads the same way. Perhaps fix it in law so it can't be manipulated like the school taxes and index it to inflation. Do the same with the fuel tax, but don't expect either to completely cover the costs alone.
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