Conservative editors/radio people starting to speak up against commuter rail (Atlanta: mortgage, credit)

[Merin]

Originally Posted by NSXV70

As if we don't have enough cleaning up to do in Gwinnett County, especially the Norcross area, we will have more crime, graffiti, illegals, etc. to deal with if MARTA moves in.

I take the train to Dunwoody. I don't see the crime, graffiti, and illegals hanging out at that station.

[onemanarmy]

Originally Posted by Merin

I take the train to Dunwoody. I don't see the crime, graffiti, and illegals hanging out at that station.

LOL. I take the train to Civic Center and there is no crime, graffiti, or illegals at that station either, but don't walk to peachtree & pine st.

[chip1980]

House bill would OK $35M for Ga. transit

By JULIA MALONE
Published on: 06/25/08 WASHINGTON — In a sign of growing support for mass transit, the House of Representatives is expected to take up a bill Thursday authorizing $1.7 billion for bus, rail and other local transportation systems.
Under the proposed two-year "Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act," Georgia is projected to get $35 million, with $22 million of that amount going to Atlanta.
However, localities are unlikely to see those funds any time soon because the measure is still has many steps to go for full approval and would require Congress to vote for the actual spending at a later date.
Even so, the House bill, part of the Democratic leadership's energy agenda, provides evidence that Congress is warming to the idea of mass transit as an alternative to gas-guzzling commuting by automobile.
If enacted, the program would help subsidize transit systems so that towns and cities could reduce the fares to encourage more riders, build parking lots near subway and rail stops, and subsidize more "clean fuel" transit equipment. It would also test the concept of federal subsidies for private vanpools.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Bad analogy. Fairfield County is a bedroom community area with little business of its own.

Norwalk, Bridgeport, Stamford, Danbury, Stratford? A string of businesses along the I-95 and Route 1 cooridor. How is that a bedroom community? How is that any different than one of the highways out from Atlanta? I think you severely underestimate the amount of business in Fairfield county, and there definately isn't enough rail, road, and highway for everyone to commute into NYC... Not even close.

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

There's something everyone seems to be missing in the talk about "the tracks are already there- we just need to use them"- the majority of the tracks in question are single tracks, which aren't exactly set up for "commuter rail", which requires dual tracks for trains running in both directions.

Right. To clarify though the whole system doesn't have to be double-tracked, just certain areas, such as stations. Central control would make sure there are no collisions.

I definately agree about grade improvements.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by NSXV70

As if we don't have enough cleaning up to do in Gwinnett County, especially the Norcross area, we will have more crime, graffiti, illegals, etc. to deal with if MARTA moves in.

Yes, you're probably correct. The rest of the region will have to put up with the crime and illegals that Gwinnett has never dealt with properly if MARTA comes out there - then they will have access from Gwinnett to the rest of us.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by neil0311

What I am saying is that Atlanta and the planning officials in GA need to consider that commuting to downtown is NOT the only flow of traffic. This doesn't ever seem to enter into the equation. Traffic flows across the top end can be just as bad as those to downtown. Ever been on I-285 at 5pm? Heavy rail costs something like $250 million per track mile, not counting possible acquisition costs. Have ways to reduce traffic (whether involving light rail, or non transit solutions) in other parts of the metro been considered? That was my point.

Most jobs in metro Atlanta are along the I-75 and I-85 cooridors, top-end 285, the airport, and the Peachtree cooridor (mid/downtown Atlanta and Buckhead). With BRT planned along the top-end 285 (which could be looked at as a bypass between I-85, I-75 and the N-S MARTA line), and rail planned to Marietta, I don't see how the largest employment districts won't be covered. Lovejoy is a pilot project because it's the cheapest project with existing parallel lines, covers over 20 miles of the Atlanta-Macon line, and since it's more rural than the North end, we can really see if commuter rail has an affect on development patterns. Additionally, there are federal dollars set aside for the Lovejoy line. The great thing is we only need the downtown station built once. Every other commuter line can feed from it. Later, there are lines planned to Marietta, Douglasville, and Athens.

Initially, residential will cluster around the commuter stations, but eventually commercial will as well. That will begin the transition of the outer metro of Atlanta to concentrate population centers around rail nodes. Currently, the only high-population node on rail outside the Perimeter is at the North Springs station.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by netdragon

Most jobs in metro Atlanta are along the I-75 and I-85 cooridors, top-end 285, the airport, and the Peachtree cooridor (mid/downtown Atlanta and Buckhead). With BRT planned along the top-end 285 (which could be looked at as a bypass between I-85, I-75 and the N-S MARTA line), and rail planned to Marietta, I don't see how the largest employment districts won't be covered.

OK..maybe I'm missing something. If you're agreeing that "most jobs in metro Atlanta are along the I-75 and I-85 corridors, top-end 285" then wouldn't that be in line with my point that having transit that only goes downtown doesn't address that commuting pattern or people that need to go to those places from other places OTP?

[wxjay]

Originally Posted by neil0311

OK..maybe I'm missing something. If you're agreeing that "most jobs in metro Atlanta are along the I-75 and I-85 corridors, top-end 285" then wouldn't that be in line with my point that having transit that only goes downtown doesn't address that commuting pattern or people that need to go to those places from other places OTP?

Well, I cannot speak for netdragon, but if you had a light rail line down I-75 from Marietta to Atlanta, that would cover a large sector of the job market, including a "spur" or connection from Cumberland to Perimeter.

On a side note, I cannot for the life of me figure out why there is not an Express Bus from Cumberland to the Airport. That seems like a no-brainer really.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by neil0311

OK..maybe I'm missing something. If you're agreeing that "most jobs in metro Atlanta are along the I-75 and I-85 corridors, top-end 285" then wouldn't that be in line with my point that having transit that only goes downtown doesn't address that commuting pattern or people that need to go to those places from other places OTP?

There will be a top-end BRT/LRT, that's a separate project that is also being planned (see revive285 top end | Home). For instance, from the Cumberland transfer station they can take the top-end BRT to Dunwoody. Of course, there will need to be a people-mover through Cumberland or the BRT needs to go all the way to the Cumberland mall (Cumberland Blvd), since that's where the CSX line crosses AND where the CCT transfer station is. Additionally, there's a trolley/tram planned for Cobb Parkway and LRT/BRT to Windy Hill on I-75. Obviously, any one mode of transit depends on the other. One mode doesn't work, but when you combine them, you get a comprehensive transit system.

To illustrate, I took part of J2's map, and added MARTA (in blue) and proposed BRT for the top-end (red), along with the Northside Drive/Cobb Parkway/Roswell Rd Trolley (purple). I drew in yellow for the heaviest employment areas. The area around Cumberland is a little mis-leading since the distance between red and green lines is within walking distance if you cut through the Galleria and the Cumberland mall. I think for a few extra bucks, they should bring the BRT all the way to Cumberland Blvd.

[netdragon]

This is interesting and informative: Governing: Light Rail/July 2008

Originally Posted by NSXV70

As if we don't have enough cleaning up to do in Gwinnett County, especially the Norcross area, we will have more crime, graffiti, illegals, etc. to deal with if MARTA moves in.

I think that view is outdated and has been shown to be inaccurate. Look at flourishing Lenox and Dunwoody, for instance.