Is the MARTA utilized to its fullest? (Atlanta, Macon: houses, condo)

[plessthanpointohfive]

I think this is the biggest threat to continued positive growth for the city...

[beefchuck]

Originally Posted by CityFan

The problem with MARTA rail is that it doesn't strech far enough. If it reached Gwinett and Cobb Center today, you would see much more rider ship. Current MARTA service area is just like a model or a pilot version. Practically it's not much on commercial scale, on large commercial scale, IMO. That's the way it is.

Lawrenceville, Kennesaw, I guess Stockbridge, Douglassville, Conyers, Lilburn in all those directions...

You're right, if the rails got out to these areas it would truly service the metro area.

It seems so easy, but politics as usual, and it really is too late at this point.

[beefchuck]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

I think this is the biggest threat to continued positive growth for the city...

mos def...if it does not improve, it will actually have many natives looking elsewhere. really already has, but not just burbs, out of state.

[Workerbee12]

[SIZE=3]I am asking to get a better understanding of GA transportation as I am new to GA. In NJ and NYC there are many parking lots for NJ/NY transit riders. I know this makes a difference in traffic because part of the advertisement for the transit system is, Park and let us drive; we have FREE Park and Ride lots. These are large parking lots where riders park their cars and board buses into the city (NYC). In addition, many of the Park and Ride lots are at malls or off of exits of many heavily traveled roads. Below is what I found regarding MARTA lots.[/SIZE]



MARTA - Using MARTA - Parking Information
Parking Information

• Table of All Parking Options
• MARTA Park & Ride Locations
• Driving Directions to Parking Locations
• Payment Options

Parking Availability by Station
StationFree Daily Parking
(Up to 24 hours)Long-Term Secured Parking
(Cash or Credit)Notes

Five Points
No
No

Peachtree Center - N1
No
No

Civic Center - N2
No
No

North Avenue - N3
No
No

Midtown - N4
No
No

Arts Center - N5
No
No

Lindbergh Center - N6
Yes
Yes
($7 per day)
Parking located behind MARTA Headquarters
(off Sidney Marcus)
Buckhead - N7
No
No

Medical Center - N8
Yes
No

Dunwoody - N9
Yes
Yes
($4 per day)

Sandy Springs - N10
Yes
Yes
($4 per day)

North Springs - N11
Yes
Yes
($7 per day)

You must exit the same way you came in. There are two parking decks.

Lenox - NE7
Yes
Yes
($4 per day)

Brookhaven/Oglethorpe University - NE8
Yes
Yes
($4 per day)

Chamblee - NE9
Yes
No

Doraville - NE10
Yes
Yes
($7 per day)

Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center Station - W1
No
No

Vine City - W2
Yes
No

Ashby - W3
Yes
No

West Lake - W4
Yes
No

Hamilton E. Holmes - W5
Yes
No

Bankhead - P4
No
No

Georgia State - E1
No
No

King Memorial - E2
No
No

Inman Park/Reynoldstown - E3
Yes
No

Edgewood/Candler Park - E4
Yes
No

East Lake - E5
Yes
No

Decatur - E6
No
No

Avondale - E7
Yes
No

Kensington - E8
Yes
Yes
($4 per day)

Indian Creek - E9
Yes
No

Garnett - S1
No
No

West End - S2
Yes
No

Oakland City - S3
Yes
No

Lakewood/Ft. McPherson - S4
Yes
No

East Point - S5
Yes
No

College Park - S6
Yes
Yes
($7 per day)

Airport - S7
No
No

[blackrabbit]

Originally Posted by CityFan

The problem with MARTA rail is that it doesn't strech far enough. If it reached Gwinett and Cobb Center today, you would see much more rider ship. Current MARTA service area is just like a model or a pilot version. Practically it's not much on commercial scale, on large commercial scale, IMO. That's the way it is.

I my opinion its the other way around. A lot of people insist in living in outer suburbs in big houses they can't afford and now that mortgage rates and gas has increased they want an alternative. Why in the world would you build a public transit system to cater for such low density? The reason trains work in countries such as the UK and Japan is because even in the suburbs and countryside there are strict land use laws and high density within towns with green belt areas inbetween. This makes it easier to justify having a station and rail etc.

The real problem is there is no integrated zoning in the suburbs for businesses and housing. In some counties anyone can just build 200 homes on a field without any impact fees or infrastructure improvements. This suits politicians such as Sonny Prudue who is bankrolled by the building and concrete industry. A great many backwards Atlantans also feel they have the god given right to drive an oversized SUV (with $1 a gallon gas) wherever they want and park wherever they want and and couldn't give a dam for anything/one else as long as they are personally OK. This atititude has time and time again ruined an integrated transport system in Atlanta. It also contributes to our awful traffic safety records.

FWIW every year the marta is getting busier and more and more developments are being built on or near stations. It is already standing room only during the rush hour in some sections. People with foresight are already moving closer in and there are lots more people looking for walking comunities etc. In a few years people who are not close to a marta will be in a world of pain if gas prices, airport parking and congestion continue to increase at the recent rates.

[PeteyNice]

MARTA is only allowed to serve Fulton and DeKalb counties. Whenever the suburban counties get to vote to fund it it gets shot down, although it has been a while since it was on the ballot anywhere.

MARTA does serve Alpharetta. The 85, 140 and 143 buses provide service from Alpharetta to the North Springs train station.

Transit is a culture thing. In the Northeast we are raised taking the train into the city and the subway, the T, the Metro, etc. You don't have that here and there is a huge stigma attached to it. This is changing....slowly. But meaningful improvements just get more expensive every day. It will take a real commitment both politically and financially to create a viable regional transit system and I just don't see it happening. Not when expanding the connector to 32 lanes is floated as a viable proposal and the money the war with Tennessee will cost.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by blackrabbit

I my opinion its the other way around. A lot of people insist in living in outer suburbs in big houses they can't afford and now that mortgage rates and gas has increased they want an alternative. Why in the world would you build a public transit system to cater for such low density? The reason trains work in countries such as the UK and Japan is because even in the suburbs and countryside there are strict land use laws and high density within towns with green belt areas inbetween. This makes it easier to justify having a station and rail etc.

The real problem is there is no integrated zoning in the suburbs for businesses and housing. In some counties anyone can just build 200 homes on a field without any impact fees or infrastructure improvements. This suits politicians such as Sonny Prudue who is bankrolled by the building and concrete industry. A great many backwards Atlantans also feel they have the god given right to drive an oversized SUV (with $1 a gallon gas) wherever they want and park wherever they want and and couldn't give a dam for anything/one else as long as they are personally OK. This atititude has time and time again ruined an integrated transport system in Atlanta. It also contributes to our awful traffic safety records.

FWIW every year the marta is getting busier and more and more developments are being built on or near stations. It is already standing room only during the rush hour in some sections. People with foresight are already moving closer in and there are lots more people looking for walking comunities etc. In a few years people who are not close to a marta will be in a world of pain if gas prices, airport parking and congestion continue to increase at the recent rates.

Wow..you sure do have a lot of insight into the motives and habits of a large number of people. I really wish I understood the world and the mind of suburban residents as well as you do.

Have you ever considered that some people may not want to live in a high density urban area? Maybe they've lived in that environment for many years and want a little sprawl? Maybe they have no reason to go downtown, so a transit system that only goes downtown is of no practical use to them, except for those one off times going to a ball game or concert? I don't drive an SUV, but what gives you the right to criticize someone who does, call them "backwards", and ascribe all sorts of malevolent motives to them?

[blackrabbit]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Wow..you sure do have a lot of insight into the motives and habits of a large number of people. I really wish I understood the world and the mind of suburban residents as well as you do.

Have you ever considered that some people may not want to live in a high density urban area? Maybe they've lived in that environment for many years and want a little sprawl? Maybe they have no reason to go downtown, so a transit system that only goes downtown is of no practical use to them, except for those one off times going to a ball game or concert? I don't drive an SUV, but what gives you the right to criticize someone who does, call them "backwards", and ascribe all sorts of malevolent motives to them?

Its a free country..............and based on the people I work with who commute into Buckhead everyday for hours each way I think pretty accurate. Believe it or not we have people in my office who commute from Comerce, Athens, Dalonega and even one from Chatanooga just so they can have massive houses.

Of course people have the right to live wherever they want I was specifically commenting on the commuters who block up every freeway just so they can have a 5000 sq foot house and think its their god given right to have cheap gas and 10 lane wide roads to get wherever they want. At the same time these same people do all they can to prevent public transport because it will bring in the blacks/crime or whatever other reason they can come up with. A little selfish no?

As a result we all have to breath in the fumes and suffer in Atlanta because of the driving habits of many suburbanites whether or not we want to and thats the problem. The worst offenders who commute the furthest don't even have to have emissions testing yet in their counties even though its proven they are on average driving the most miles and causing the most polution!!! Its why the city pays fines every year for polution. Wouldn't it be a good idea to raise more tax on tolls, gas, charge builders impact fees and and spend it on things like better public infrastructure and schools etc rather than carry on with this crazy sprawl?

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by cocopuffy

Wow...just WOW...

That's right... WOW that so many here still have grammar like that! Like - WOWWWWWWWW.


Anyway - ditto on the above comments on the DC system earlier. Likewise, people in Portland, Oregon will pay a premium to be near a MAX light rail station. Here, they pay to AVOID being near transit.

[CityFan]

Originally Posted by blackrabbit

Its a free country..............and based on the people I work with who commute into Buckhead everyday for hours each way I think pretty accurate. Believe it or not we have people in my office who commute from Comerce, Athens, Dalonega and even one from Chatanooga just so they can have massive houses.

Of course people have the right to live wherever they want I was specifically commenting on the commuters who block up every freeway just so they can have a 5000 sq foot house and think its their god given right to have cheap gas and 10 lane wide roads to get wherever they want. At the same time these same people do all they can to prevent public transport because it will bring in the blacks/crime or whatever other reason they can come up with. A little selfish no?

As a result we all have to breath in the fumes and suffer in Atlanta because of the driving habits of many suburbanites whether or not we want to and thats the problem. The worst offenders who commute the furthest don't even have to have emissions testing yet in their counties even though its proven they are on average driving the most miles and causing the most polution!!! Its why the city pays fines every year for polution. Wouldn't it be a good idea to raise more tax on tolls, gas, charge builders impact fees and and spend it on things like better public infrastructure and schools etc rather than carry on with this crazy sprawl?

Well said. Drivers should bear more cost in maintaining clean air rather than having someone else pay for them. In order to do so, raising gas tax portion to be used for cleaning air is one way. People have all rights to choose where to live and work, but they need to take care of pollution issue. Government should build roads for public transportation only, such as buslines, to speed up massive transit to encourage more people to use public transportion even they live in suburbs.