MARTA working to add parking spots at 3 train stations

[pvande55]

An unrelated question: why doesn't Atlanta have commuter rail? It costs less per mile to build and it can reach out much further. Perhaps everyone who works in Downtown Atlanta lives within 20 miles (I doubt it).

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by pvande55

An unrelated question: why doesn't Atlanta have commuter rail? It costs less per mile to build and it can reach out much further. Perhaps everyone who works in Downtown Atlanta lives within 20 miles (I doubt it).

Lack of political will. We had one planned to go down through Jonesboro to Lovejoy, but Sonny Perdue dawdled, and the window for federal funding ran out.

There is hope, however, now that Clayton is a part of MARTA.

[arjay57]

In my opinion this makes a lot more sense than building more rail lines out to low density areas. Just people come to existing transit.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Simple fact is: Putting things like homes and offices next to transit is much more beneficial to ridership than parking.

Stop using transit dollars to subsidize free parking. It is a terrible idea. On top of that, they can take the train the 24 miles all the way to the airport for $2.50 but if I want to go round trip two stops to get groceries (and pay the MARTA tax on them) I have to pay $5.

So backwards how hard we subsidize sprawl. Even with our transit we are taxing those of us shopping in the city to pay for free parking for people that live further out and likely don't live or shop in places that pay the tax.

Every great transit system out there charges zoned or distance based fares. Free parking from a transit company is still rare and when they do it at least they are recouping some additional fares from people taking longer trips / paying higher fares.

Simple fact is, putting parking next to outlying stations is VASTLY better for ridership than putting a few apartments.

Its called park n ride. Common throughout the US. Even in New York's suburbs.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by bu2

Simple fact is, putting parking next to outlying stations is VASTLY better for ridership than putting a few apartments.

Its called park n ride. Common throughout the US. Even in New York's suburbs.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by bu2

Simple fact is, putting parking next to outlying stations is VASTLY better for ridership than putting a few apartments.

Its called park n ride. Common throughout the US. Even in New York's suburbs.

[Tarzanman]

Originally Posted by pvande55

An unrelated question: why doesn't Atlanta have commuter rail? It costs less per mile to build and it can reach out much further. Perhaps everyone who works in Downtown Atlanta lives within 20 miles (I doubt it).

A couple of reasons
1. the atlanta metro still largely lacks the population density to make commuter rail practical cost wise

2.We have a last mile problem. Basically its impossible for a pedestrian to travel the last mile after they exit the train. Comparing to the commuter rail in Boston (which is expensive, and augments their mass transit system), even there you're going to end up walking at least a mile to get to some of the farther flung destinations. Doable since they have sidewalk and a mostly rational street layout.

Can you imagine extending commuter rail from say, Cumberland Mall area to Town Center or Barret Pkwy? A pedestrian would effectively be stuck on one side of the highway. Same with trying to do it from Doraville to Duluth or Sandy Springs to Cumming.

[aries4118]

Commuter rail would do very well in Atlanta.