Republican support for transit no longer career killing (Atlanta, Dallas: sales, 2015)

[jhtrico1850]

Tuesday’s news: Republican support for transit no longer equates to suicide | Political Insider blog

Beach defeated investor and philanthropist Aaron Barlow of Milton, 58 to 42 percent.

In 2015, Beach was among many Republicans who supported HB 170, a measure to raise nearly $1 billion for road and bridge repair with reconfigured taxes on gasoline and a new tax on hotel and motel lodging.

More important, Tuesday’s vote was a coda on 11 months of debate over a proposed $8 billion expansion of MARTA rail into north Fulton, to be financed — with voter approval — by a half-cent sales tax. Beach had introduced legislation to permit the northward push

[skbl17]

In my opinion, this is one of the best pieces of news to come out of yesterday's primary elections.

Even better (unscientific, I know):

Beach said he polled North Fulton residents of Senate District 21 on the question of MARTA expansion. Sixty-four percent favored a referendum. Fifty-five percent said they would support a commuter rail push into their region. On Tuesday, Beach won 62 percent of the vote in the North Fulton portion of his district.

With the MARTA supporters holding on to their General Assembly positions, things are looking pretty bright for the future of transit in this region.

Unfortunately, John Albers (yes, him) was unopposed. You win some, you lose some.

- skbl17

[2nd trick op]

There are any number of places where mass transit makes sense on economics alone, mostly due to sheer population density; Long Island, much of metro San Francisco and most of New Jersey are all good examples, And that portion of the country is growing, as demonstrated in Los Angeles and South Florida -- primarily because the land for more and bigger highways is no longer there.

But Atlanta, like Dallas/Fort Worth, is at a disadvantage simply because its population, while growing steadily, is spread out over a wider area. It will continue to grow, and the concentration of population will inveigh for more transit, but only in those areas where newcomers are encouraged to live near the transit lines and facilities. "If you build it, they will come" doesn't work as well as the hype suggests.

I'm given to understand that in some metros, Portland (OR) being the most commonly cited, a policy of discouraging further expansion of low-density development is being advanced, but I'm not too familiar with this practice.

[Atlwarrior]

Great point I think commuter rail like the Coaster between San Diego and Oceanside is a good example for Atlanta surburbs.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by 2nd trick op

There are any number of places where mass transit makes sense on economics alone, mostly due to sheer population density; Long Island, much of metro San Francisco and most of New Jersey are all good examples, And that portion of the country is growing, as demonstrated in Los Angeles and South Florida -- primarily because the land for more and bigger highways is no longer there.

But Atlanta, like Dallas/Fort Worth, is at a disadvantage simply because its population, while growing steadily, is spread out over a wider area. It will continue to grow, and the concentration of population will inveigh for more transit, but only in those areas where newcomers are encouraged to live near the transit lines and facilities. "If you build it, they will come" doesn't work as well as the hype suggests.

I'm given to understand that in some metros, Portland (OR) being the most commonly cited, a policy of discouraging further expansion of low-density development is being advanced, but I'm not too familiar with this practice.

I agree with density and transportation choices go hand-in-hand. However I think transportation choices causes density more than density causes transportation choices.

For example, right here in Atlanta we used to be as dense as Amsterdam is today. But at the time we had few freeways and dozens of streetcar lines that covered the city.