Moving to Atlanta area. Is MARTA as bad as everyone says it is? (Decatur: cul-de-sac, neighborhoods)

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by JPD

I'd be curious in what way(s) Marta is better than the DC Metro. Having used both extensively, I find that absurd.

Metro has far more stations, far more destinations near the stations, and more lines going to each destination.

Granted, Metro has been having some maintenance issues lately that have caused temporary problems, but as a system, Marta is nowhere close.

It doesn't kill you

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by 3rdbass

It is great using for the airport as the Marta station is right next to check-in.

MARTA is on the opposite end of the building from checkin, unless you're taking Delta, or unless they've changed that end since I've last been down there.

Originally Posted by Gulch

Until you run into a Snowpocalypse or I-85 bridge collapse that paralyzes the local road/freeway network.

If you want to use one-off scenarios that happen once every few years or once in lifetime, you're grasping desperately. Saying you don't drive because of Snowpocalypse would mean that you choose not to drive because of something that happens literally 0.1% of the time. The thought of snow does not even calculate into my reasons for driving.

Originally Posted by JPD

L5P is a ten minute walk to the nearest station. Your L5P friend sounds like someone who just doesn't like public transit.

A ten minute walk back and forth every day is quite substantial. That's half of my total 12.5-mile driving commute, just to reach the station. I mean, that's 83 hours a year just to get to and from the station for a single daily commute, with two weeks off per year. Stats are thrown around all the time about how the average car commuter wastes "a day and a half a year in congestion". CityLab states that the peak time spent in congestion in Atlanta is 70 hours. That's less than a daily ten-minute round-trip walk to and from a station.

Of course, they never detail how each hour in congestion costs $31.60, although most of it is attributed to "lost productivity". I'm sure that walk back and forth is some very productive time.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by samiwas1

MARTA is on the opposite end of the building from checkin, unless you're taking Delta, or unless they've changed that end since I've last been down there.

Oh the humanity of having to walk across the domestic terminal, or better yet it's the 21st century and we have mobile check in, 24 hours in advance

A ten minute walk back and forth every day is quite substantial. That's half of my total 12.5-mile driving commute, just to reach the station. I mean, that's 83 hours a year just to get to and from the station for a single daily commute, with two weeks off per year. Stats are thrown around all the time about how the average car commuter wastes "a day and a half a year in congestion". CityLab states that the peak time spent in congestion in Atlanta is 70 hours. That's less than a daily ten-minute round-trip walk to and from a station.

Just think of the free, exercise you get and how much money you could save by not having to drive to the gym or buy expensive at-home workout equipment that turns into an expensive clothes hanger.

Of course, they never detail how each hour in congestion costs $31.60, although most of it is attributed to "lost productivity". I'm sure that walk back and forth is some very productive time.

MARTA trains and buses offer free wifi to make the commute productive, unlike driving where drivers are required by law to be hands free.

[wasel]

Re: the original post: I haven't heard anyone use that phrase in at least 20 years.

MARTA is fine. And Chamblee is a fantastic location.

[arjay57]

Chamblee is a happening place.

And as everyone else has said, MARTA is very safe. They have their own police force and those guys do not mess around.

[Sualpine]

The problem with Atlanta is the combination of how little coverage Marta and how bad the car experience is as a frequent fallback.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Chamblee is a happening place.

And as everyone else has said, MARTA is very safe. They have their own police force and those guys do not mess around.

One of the largest and most highly certified in the state of Georgia.
https://www.itsmarta.com/police-overview.aspx

[stoxdiamond]

People understate the role that climate has in this discussion. Walking 15 minutes in the humid GA heat is no bueno, no one wants to arrive at work in the morning drenched in their own sweat.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by stoxdiamond

People understate the role that climate has in this discussion. Walking 15 minutes in the humid GA heat is no bueno, no one wants to arrive at work in the morning drenched in their own sweat.

Yeah, walking across open parking lots is terrible. I don't know how drivers deal with it during the summer. I love being able to take the train straight into the airport terminal or into Peachtree Center and connect to many buildings downtown via the sky bridges. During DragonCon it is especially a nice choice so you don't have to go outside in costume in the heat!

[ATLTJL]

I just wanted to point out there are probably people in every city who are choosing to go carless. I bet you can go to Omaha, Nebraska's forum and find people doing the same thing.

It's a valid choice. Perhaps even noble.

The fact remains, however, that this is an extremely tiny minority in Atlanta. We happen to have a very vocal minority represented on this board who love to continuously rationalize their choice and even vilify those who have not made it.

But make no mistake: Loud though they may be, it's a very niche subset of our population. Arguing with them is quite fruitless. If you want to buy into their hype, feel free. Realize, however, it's just that: hype. Atlanta is a car town. That ain't gonna change anytime soon.