Cobb BRT still has "engine running" even if off SPLOST (Atlanta: transfer, buy)

[netdragon]

Maybe the Cobb County BRT will happen... State DOT engineers have picked up where Tim Lee left off by continuing to work on the BRT concept in Cobb County.

The Marietta Daily Journal - BRT off the SPLOST ballot but the motor s still running

[bfarley30]

Cobb is so backwards. But if they want to waste millions of dollars then so be it. Let's extend MARTA rail to Cumberland an stop there. That area obviously needs HRT transit. Cobb and CCT can connect their BRT there. It will make everyone happy. MARTA rail is extended to where it's needed and Cobb gets to blow a ton of money on something that doesn't work. Great job Cobb!

[magnetar]

I might use it if they'd build the same form of transit that the rest of the region uses. Requiring riders to switch from MARTA to a fancy bus just kills the user experience.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by bfarley30

Cobb is so backwards. But if they want to waste millions of dollars then so be it. Let's extend MARTA rail to Cumberland an stop there.

First of all, Atlanta has no plans to bring rail to the Cobb border, so Cobb has really no choice.

The BRT connection to Belt Line and Atlantic station and Arts Center will probably be replaced by MARTA streetcar once the ridership is proven and Fulton and Cobb can work together for streetcar LRT up Northside Pkwy and/or Marietta Blvd. Edit: It looks like the state DOT is looking at Northside Pkwy.

It'll probably have to end up staying LRT streetcar for a while. There really isn't anywhere to slip a heavy rail connection from downtown through anymore unless it were bridged over highway ROW. Everything is pretty much fully developed until you head West of Marietta Blvd in Atlanta and Veteran's Memorial in Cobb.

[netdragon]

I just had this thought: Why do you need two lanes for BRT? Can't you have one reversible lane (like Northside already has) dedicated for BRT and then the busses going away from rush hour traffic go in the presumably faster moving normal traffic lanes?

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by magnetar

I might use it if they'd build the same form of transit that the rest of the region uses. Requiring riders to switch from MARTA to a fancy bus just kills the user experience.

Depending on the situation, most people won't mind a transfer as long as it's quick and painless. There's merit to separating the suburban service from the intracity service anyways. Running MARTA as far as Cumberland and connecting to Cobb's network isn't the worst idea. People would head to Cumberland from a number of different areas, but once at Cumberland, they're all basically heading one direction, into Atlanta.

Originally Posted by netdragon

First of all, Atlanta has no plans to bring rail to the Cobb border, so Cobb has really no choice.

The BRT connection to Belt Line and Atlantic station and Arts Center will probably be replaced by MARTA streetcar once the ridership is proven and Fulton and Cobb can work together for streetcar LRT up Northside Pkwy and/or Marietta Blvd. Edit: It looks like the state DOT is looking at Northside Pkwy.

It'll probably have to end up staying LRT streetcar for a while. There really isn't anywhere to slip a heavy rail connection from downtown through anymore unless it were bridged over highway ROW. Everything is pretty much fully developed until you head West of Marietta Blvd in Atlanta and Veteran's Memorial in Cobb.

If the "BRT" doesn't connect directly to the heavy rail, then it will be worthless. Not all rail is made equal.

What Cobb really needs is the HRT from Cumberland, but also commuter rail from at least Acworth. Before anyone brings up the line's congestion, take a look at this CSX traffic study: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...75097201,d.cWc

(it's a bit of a wonky link, but it opens a 1.7MB PDF)
If you go down to page 10, the only lines that show as being at or over capacity will be the line to Jacksonville through Manchester, and the Abbeville Subdivision around Athens and some lines to the west of LaGrange.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by netdragon

First of all, Atlanta has no plans to bring rail to the Cobb border, so Cobb has really no choice.

Whether to extend existing rail lines to the Cobb border would be up to MARTA, not Atlanta.

That means there'd have to be buy in from Fulton and DeKalb counties, who have their own transportation woes. Moreover, Cobb would be joining not only as a newbie but as a minority partner.

Nobody puts Cobb in the corner. So they might chafe at such a relationship, even if it were offered.

[lem1985]

Everybody saying MARTA should extend to Cobb. Its up to MARTA and Cobb which MARTA is all in for like they was when MARTA was created and Atlanta bus system was dismantled. Cobb, Gwinnett and Clayton said no then and Cobb will probably would say no now. CCT/Cobb cut 2 bus routes back in 2011 the 65 and 70 route due to low ridership which is a lie. Talks was ongoing back in 2006 and plans on paper was laid out but nothing came about Cobb was the 1st to back out and say they will come up with they own plan according to people talking through the grape vine. It would be great for Cobb to at least get a station near Cumberland/Vinings area but I doubt it anytime in the next 5-7 years

[demonta4]

Just to clear something up. When MARTA was first established Cobb was the only county to decline. Gwinnett and Clayton didn't want to pay the tax.

[cqholt]

MARTA has other priorities than to build a line thru low density, residential areas to a county that does not want to support them. Red line extension, I-20 corridor, Clayton county and Clifton corridor.