CobbLinc Cumbaland Circulator, thoughts (Atlanta: Home Depot, employment, transfer)

[primaltech]

Such a nice day out today, so this morning I walked along Cumberland Parkway to the Cumberland Transfer Center, at the corner of Cumberland Blvd and Cumberland Parkway, across from Cumberland Mall- and I rode the new Cumberland Circulator. That's a lot of Cumberlands!

https://cobbcounty.org/images/docume...m-Map-3-22.pdf

There is a Blue Line, a Green Line, and a Red Line. The Blue and Green are the core circulators. Blue runs a clockwise loop (stays straight on 41, and then loops back via Akers Mill), and Green runs the opposite, counterclockwise loop (turns right on Akers Mill, then comes back down 41). Red runs back and forth on Cumberland Parkway between the transfer center and the Home Depot Support Center off Paces Ferry.

Blue and Green both have a 15-minute frequency during the week, and they operate from 6AM to 11:30 PM. On Saturday they run a 30-minute frequency, from 9:30 AM to 10:00 PM. There's no Sunday service at this time unfortunately, but reportedly CobbLinc is hoping to add Sunday bus service in the future.

The Red Line only runs during the week and does not run on Saturdays. It runs 30 minute frequency from 9AM to 4:30 PM. So that one is definitely geared purely towards office workers along that corridor.

The one-way fare is $2.50, and you pay the fare with a tap of your pre-loaded Breeze card, which is very quick and convenient. Free transfers of course.

I rode the Green Line twice today. The Blue would have been quicker to get back, but I wanted to see the full loop through SunTrust Park area. It was actually very scenic to look around on a gorgeous day like today. I got off at Akers Mill Square and ate a delicious lunch, then walked down along 41 to a movie at the very nice AMC Parkway Pointe (the new Ghost in the Shell is pretty great, I'll give it 8/10).

Overall I was super impressed. Kudos to CobbLinc for this new service, and I hope it becomes a hit.

Took a few pics:
















Some random thoughts:

1. CobbLinc's new buses are very, very nice. Love them. Very smooth ride, very clean, very comfortable seats, and they look great inside and out. And their drivers are very friendly and professional. Also, CobbLinc's new signs both look great, and are easy to see what bus routes are served. Personally I hated the old CCT buses and signs and color scheme, with that awful color. Glad that's all being phased out.

2. Benches, shelters, and trash cans are really awesome to have, really worth it, and make all the difference when waiting for a bus. CobbLinc is doing a good job in that area I think. Most stops have benches and shelters, their benches are quite comfortable to sit on, and everything around was very pleasant and well-maintained all around (at least in this nicer Cumberland area of town.)

3. Streetcars (and most types of LRT) are making less and less sense to me, the more I think about this transit stuff. I rode the Atlanta Streetcar loop recently (2nd time trying that), and this simple CobbLinc bus loop just absolutely blows that thing away, hands down- in every category there is. It runs more frequently (15 mins weekdays), it's a way faster ride, it's a way smoother ride, it's a way quieter and more pleasant ride, it connects way more interesting and useful destinations, it covers way more area, and it was a billion times cheaper and operation and maintenance of it will be a billion times cheaper. And there are even multiple routes. Three different lines operating on this thing, from day 1 of the service. Not to mention, the whole thing came online without any construction. They just had to purchase the vehicles, set up the plan, advertise it, and they were all ready to go. I think there was only 1 day of test running!

4. Buses are awesome. Or at least, they have such awesome potential. But they need to run frequently, they need to have logical routes, and those routes need to be shown on an easy to understand transit map.

5. Cars are awesome for their own reasons. But, we need to balance out our communities for cars, transit, and pedestrians to all be able to get around conveniently and safely. Also, compact cars and good drivers are great- while huge pickup trucks and massive SUV's and terrible and dangerous drivers are awful. We need more of the former, less of the latter. And we need more Uber, which is also an awesome thing.

6. Cumberland is a gem of an edge city. Great sweeping, dramatic views of the Atlanta skyline. Lots of dining and entertainment options, and now The Battery and SunTrust Park are going to add even more.

7. Cumberland desperately needs commuter rail. I took a pic above of where the station would be. This circulator bus would be infinitely more useful and the ridership would be so high, if there was only a station right there. This bus service + a frequent commuter rail system would be an awesome combo.

8. Cobb County has become urban, and needs to invest in transit. Whether it's MARTA or their own system, what we need to do is invest in it, so we can have quality rail, and more frequent bus operation. Metro Atlanta in general needs to invest in transit, both at the regional, metropolitan, and local level. Today I really saw firsthand the power and potential of circulator loop buses. I think they're a great thing.

9. Taco Mac has a whole lot of different beers these days, and good french fries. Chains can be great.

10. Atlanta is a great place. But if we would just take our collective foot out of our butt on transit, we could be one of the greatest cities and metros in this country. Really. We're blessed with so much, from nice rolling hills and views and great weather, to great diversity in our people (Cumberland area is a great example of diversity. Black people and white people and other people all around and all getting along together, in harmony and respect.) We have a great metro and we just need to be smarter with our transportation, which will improve our sense of community, and make our lives easier and more fun.

[cqholt]

Let's hope Commissioners make it a permanent part of the County Budget, or it could too easily get axed

Among those who have pushed for Sunday service is Commissioner Lisa Cupid, who last year sought to have it included in the county’s fiscal 2017 budget. The estimated $3.7 million expenditure was not included in then-Chairman Tim Lee’s $858 million fiscal 2017 budget, which Lee had proposed as a “continuation budget” as it included no new initiatives from him as part of an effort to not bind other county leaders or his successor, Mike Boyce. Cupid was the sole vote against that budget.

Cupid on Friday said she supports robust transit options such as the circulator.

“I think anywhere where there is an active commercial or job center, that having a robust transportation options around that area only help to lift that. I would certainly consider Cumberland to be one of those areas in Cobb, amongst others,” Cupid said, but added that she would have preferred to have the county implement Sunday service first “as a matter of fairness.”

“Sunday service has been on the table for years, because it services those who are not just looking at transit as an option, but who are dependent on transit,” Cupid added. “In the county, particularly on days of worship or even getting to employment on Sunday, my heart’s desire would be to see that happen first, but I am open to the opportunity that this circulator will help drive the implementation of Sunday service sooner.”

Commissioners will consider approving the CobbLinc Cumberland Circulator at their 9 a.m. meeting Tuesday in the Cobb Government Building.

Cumberland Circulator could get go-ahead | News | mdjonline.com

[cqholt]

You may have to find another option for returning home, after 4:30pm.

Though fans may want to consider taking the Circulator on game days, it won’t be available every game, as neither route provides Sunday service at this time.

The Blue and Green routes operate weekdays from 6 a.m. to midnight and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Red route operates only on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Cumberland Circulator revs up today | News | mdjonline.com

[arjay57]

Thanks for a great summary and pictorial, primal!

[whodean]

Originally Posted by cqholt

You may have to find another option for returning home, after 4:30pm.

Cumberland Circulator revs up today | News | mdjonline.com

That's just the Home Depot spur, right?

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by whodean

That's just the Home Depot spur, right?

Correct http://www.city-data.com/forum/47734852-post3.html

[primaltech]

Long-term, I don't think Cumberland Parkway needs a circulator bus, I think it needs a good quality 15-min frequency ART bus line, for the entire length of the road from where it starts at S Cobb Dr, to where it terminates at the transfer center (and where there should be a future commuter rail station.)

I think that would be killer successful. Lots of dense residential, retail, and offices along there.