Commuter/High Speed Rail (Atlanta, Columbus: construction, costs, bus)

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I think Florida is really sort of its own animal because of how massive tourism is.

Interestingly, the governor turned down federal funding for a train from Tampa to Orlando a couple of years go. He said the state would end up subsidizing it. He's PROBABLY right, but failed to think about how much money it would bring in from tourists extending their stays. So many people flock to Orlando every year, they might stay an extra day or two if they knew they could hop a train and get to the beach, either in Tampa or on the Space Coast. Also, I-4 is an extremely heavily traveled thoroughfare, so relieving that congestion would be great.

Joe Henderson: Rick Scott may have been right rejecting high-speed rail – Florida Politics

Anyway...I guess the point I'm trying to make is if they can't make tourism hubs like Tampa to Orlando work, what chance does Atlanta to Chattanooga have?

I do, however agree with the above statement. Commuter rail is by far, the single most important issue facing this metro. I really can't believe we can't get our S together on it. Point fingers all you want, it's this person's fault, it's that person's, it's too expensive, blah blah blah. It's all noise. We're all equally pathetic for not being able to overcome all that to make it happen. And it's going to cost us all plenty in the long run.

And what state do you think has the most Florida tourists pass through it enroute? (Hint: Starts with "G" and ends in "eorgia").

Seriously though, Atlanta developed as being the key connection point between Florida, the South, North East, and Chicago / MidWest.

Also, while yes, Orlando is #1 in the US for tourists at 57M a year, Atlanta is not that far behind at 42M a year.

I do not agree private transit companies are that dependant on tourism for success. Even if it is, Atlanta is well positioned as the gateway to Florida and a major tourist destination own its own.

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Anyway...I guess the point I'm trying to make is if they can't make tourism hubs like Tampa to Orlando work, what chance does Atlanta to Chattanooga have?

If my final destination was Chattanooga and I didn't have to go anywhere after I got there, I would take it. Chattanooga's interstates are terrible and nearly always stopped. A rail line to Nashville would be even better. I would have taken that the last two days.

[ATLTJL]

Seriously though, Atlanta developed as being the key connection point between Florida, the South, North East, and Chicago / MidWest.

Maybe, but that's just it...it's a connection point.

I don't really see people saying, "We want to go to Disney. Let's fly to Atlanta and then take a train to Orlando."

BUT, lots of people might say, "We're going to Disney. Let's spend one or two days at the beach, because we can easily hop a train to Tampa/Cocoa Beach/or Miami."

Also, people who live in Florida travel around the state a lot. Everyone in Miami has friends or relatives in Orlando, Tampa, etc. and vice versa.

My hunch is the vast majority of the people that are being counted as "tourists" coming to Atlanta are really coming for business or conventions. That makes them a lot less likely to take side trips, even if there was a convenient train.

[brownhornet]

To be honest I don't care about Chattanooga. I'd much rather see something running from Columbus up to Atlanta with a stop maybe in LaGrange (especially with the Wolf Lodge resort there now) and Newnan. And maybe a line running from Savannah to Atlanta with maybe a stop in Macon. With all of the people that commute to Atlanta for work alone (excluding Savannah) it just makes sense. I also read the brightline stuff again and realized that they're also planning on adding a line to Jacksonville and another from Orlando to Tampa... rail lines that they don't own. And even if high speed rail isn't an option, why on earth hasn't commuter rail, at the least, been brought to the table? I mean come on.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by brownhornet

To be honest I don't care about Chattanooga. I'd much rather see something running from Columbus up to Atlanta with a stop maybe in LaGrange (especially with the Wolf Lodge resort there now) and Newnan. And maybe a line running from Savannah to Atlanta with maybe a stop in Macon. With all of the people that commute to Atlanta for work alone (excluding Savannah) it just makes sense. I also read the brightline stuff again and realized that they're also planning on adding a line to Jacksonville and another from Orlando to Tampa... rail lines that they don't own. And even if high speed rail isn't an option, why on earth hasn't commuter rail, at the least, been brought to the table? I mean come on.

Actually, they own all of Jacksonville-Miami, and will build new track (that they will own) for Cocoa-Orlando-Tampa.

[jsvh]

Yeah, I really hope Brightline does well and starts expanding over the border. Once you are connected to Jacksonville seems like it would be easy to justify connecting on up to Savannah, then Macon, the airport, and Atlanta central. Then do rail in other directions from there.

[ATLTJL]

That would be awesome.

Do you know that if you want to take Amtrak from Atlanta to Jacksonville, you have to connect in New Orleans?

You could almost walk to Jacksonville faster.

[A-Town Down]

It would be nice if there was a rail connecting Atlanta and Savannah. Or even Atlanta to Charlotte before continuing up the east coast to DC, and beyond.


On a unrelated topic, I would love it if the metro area received another theme park. Florida's tourist industry is aided by its abundance of amusement parks. Another park in Atlanta can be great for our tourist industry as well, plus more selfishly, I grow tired of only going to Six Flags lol

[citidata18]

Originally Posted by A-Town Down

It would be nice if there was a rail connecting Atlanta and Savannah. Or even Atlanta to Charlotte before continuing up the east coast to DC, and beyond.


On a unrelated topic, I would love it if the metro area received another theme park. Florida's tourist industry is aided by its abundance of amusement parks. Another park in Atlanta can be great for our tourist industry as well, plus more selfishly, I grow tired of only going to Six Flags lol

The Great Wolf Lodge just opened in LaGrange. I know it's pretty far out for a lot of folks, but it stil markets itself as being in Atlanta and is intended to cater to Atlanta

GWL was practically begging to build in Peachtree City (they even modified their plans several times and didn't ask for any incentives), but they (Peachtree City) tarred and feathered them. And why they didn't look into another area closer in than LaGrange besides Peachtree City, I have no clue.

[citidata18]

Originally Posted by brownhornet

To be honest I don't care about Chattanooga. I'd much rather see something running from Columbus up to Atlanta with a stop maybe in LaGrange (especially with the Wolf Lodge resort there now) and Newnan. And maybe a line running from Savannah to Atlanta with maybe a stop in Macon. With all of the people that commute to Atlanta for work alone (excluding Savannah) it just makes sense. I also read the brightline stuff again and realized that they're also planning on adding a line to Jacksonville and another from Orlando to Tampa... rail lines that they don't own. And even if high speed rail isn't an option, why on earth hasn't commuter rail, at the least, been brought to the table? I mean come on.

Agreed. But realistically, I do see Chattanooga to Atlanta happening as far as high speed rail first. There's a lot more pass-through traffic and sprawl/development in that corridor, and it's much faster growing than the Atlanta to Columbus corridor.

That said, at the very least, there needs to be commuter rail from Newnan / Peachtree City to the airport and downtown, given all of the folks down there who work at Hartsfield-Jackson and Delta, especially with Aerotropolis now starting to take off.