Georgia Senate looking for regional transit solution (Atlanta, Rome: crime, house)

[jsvh]

Georgia Senate looking for regional transit solution

Sen. Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, has introduced a resolution calling for a study committee to consider whether a regional transit governing agency should be created with jurisdiction over transit throughout metro Atlanta.

So a resolution to create a committee to study if we should create another GRTA? I feel like we have been doing enough studies and pretending to care about transit as a region. Time for action. But I am fine with it as long as they don't use it as an excuse to hold up transit expansion in the city.

[jero23]

How about just work in unison with the House to draft bills allowing Cobb and Gwinnett to hold referendums to vote on joining MARTA as was originally intended? If isn't enough draft a bill dedicating annual state funding towards public transit statewide. Duh!

[Mutiny77]

This merry-go-round is absolutely crazy.

[primaltech]

The problem is, none of these studies or committees ever actually have any power to do anything. They can, and have reached all the same conclusions every time, that the region needs tons of transit and in a unified way. But then all they can do is recommend that. The idiot goober lawmakers will just ignore the recommendations, as always.

MARTA running extensively in its 5 intended counties can and should be the metro regional transit solution. Or, if you want to serve the broader 10-county region, either expand MARTA's charter to cover the 10 counties, or, have GRTA absorb/become MARTA in some way, which would be state funded rather than by individual counties.

I don't care either way, but just do actually something for the first time ever, rather than even more study commissions and meaningless regional plans. They've already been done. Time to implement.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

This merry-go-round is absolutely crazy.

Rome wasn't burned in a day.

These things take patience.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Rome wasn't burned in a day.

These things take patience.

The state rail plan was drafted 10 years ago.

MARTA had its last rail expansion 16 years ago.

It's been 4 years since the TSPLOST failure.

We've been kicking the can down the road enough, and I think we've had plenty of patience. We need to act before it only gets harder and even more costly to build.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by primaltech

The problem is, none of these studies or committees ever actually have any power to do anything. They can, and have reached all the same conclusions every time, that the region needs tons of transit and in a unified way. But then all they can do is recommend that. The idiot goober lawmakers will just ignore the recommendations, as always.

MARTA running extensively in its 5 intended counties can and should be the metro regional transit solution. Or, if you want to serve the broader 10-county region, either expand MARTA's charter to cover the 10 counties, or, have GRTA absorb/become MARTA in some way, which would be state funded rather than by individual counties.

I don't care either way, but just do actually something for the first time ever, rather than even more study commissions and meaningless regional plans. They've already been done. Time to implement.

Here's how i'd do it:

MARTA: Commuter Rail, Heavy Rail, Light Rail, Streetcars, Bus Rapid Transit, Arterial Rapid Transit, City Buses, Community Circulators in the core 5 counties.

GRTA: Commuter Rail & Commuter Buses into the city. Commuter Buses, City Buses, Community Circulators in the outer 5 counties.

If Cobb and Gwinnett want to be a part of the region's transit plans, then by all means, JOIN THE REGION'S TRANSIT PLANS. FFS, it's so fing backwards to think that they should hold up the rest of the metro's progress because they can't seem to figure out that they CAN JOIN IN.

[Gulch]

Title should read "Georgia Senate continuing to go in circles"

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

The state rail plan was drafted 10 years ago.

MARTA had its last rail expansion 16 years ago.

It's been 4 years since the TSPLOST failure.

We've been kicking the can down the road enough, and I think we've had plenty of patience. We need to act before it only gets harder and even more costly to build.

I understand the frustration. Back in the day, somebody would get an idea and we'd haul off and build the darn thing.

In my opinion, part of the problem is that things are not that bad yet. Yes, there are traffic problems but most of us have adapted.

And public transportation, while important, is probably not the number one issue on most people's minds. Schools, jobs, housing prices, shopping, crime -- all of those things play a critical role in determining where people live and work and how they get around.

Moreover it's not always easy to make the case that more public transit will improve people's lives. There are still folks who say, "Okay, we've got MARTA but I hardly ever use it."

So it can be heavy sledding to convince the majority that they need to raise taxes to build more transit.

[primaltech]

It's totally ridiculous and frustrating. The metro Atlanta regional transit solution was formed in 1971, consolidating/replacing all other former transit companies and services, and started operating transit in 1972, and started building super ambitious, incredible rail lines and stations, immediately. With rail commencing operations in 1979.

So decades later in 2016, why do we now need a committee to study whether we need to look at maybe considering whether to create a metro Atlanta regional transit solution/agency? We have that. It is even well-operated by nationally-recognized excellent leadership, and it is profitable. Just simply build new lines and stations already.

The supposed scary urban people aren't going to steal your TV from your sprawled out quiet subdivision and somehow take it to English Avenue via the damn MARTA train. I mean, what's what cars are for.

Ugh. Wake me up when it's an alternate, less dumb universe.