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Some of the termites are starting to crawl out of the woodwork again. There's some conservative radio personalities in Gwinnett that have been attacking commuter rail the last few weeks (http://www.talkgwinnett.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=402&Item id=4 - broken link). Some guy named Jim Wooten called the Lovejoy rail line a "White Elephant" (http://www.ajc.com/health/content/opinion/stories/2008/06/15/suwooten.html?cxntlid=inform_artr - broken link).
What these people don't realize is that the Lovejoy line will also include the building of a transit station downtown which can have future connections built off of it, such as the Marietta-rail line. Additionally, these people don't think about what the rail will mean in terms of increased land value (and tax base) within commuting distance of the line, luring new businesses to the region, and keeping existing businesses from leaving and keeping Atlanta from turning into Detroit.
Net, I don't know why you would automatically lable a non-supporter of rail to Gwinnett as a Conservative. Heck, I doubt that a true to life defined conservative has written for the Atlanta Urinal and Constipation in 25 years.
I think the main argument is the overall pricetag of the rail system and in addition the overall safety of rail in regard to ridership. Will it be a Chicago Burb rail, where one can ride at all hours safely since it is constantly patrolled by Police officers, or will it be like the DC city metro where you ride against the walls with mace at the ready?
The current price tag on the rail system at present is more than the entire budget of the State of Georgia DOT. This equals subsidies just for the overall operations of the train and track addage alone. Then you have to add Transit Authority, which if anything else like Shirley Franklin has under her belt will require at least 100 government paid folks to man one train token meter, and not to mention large parking lots due to the locations they wish to place the terminals.
In Gwinnett, we currently have one individual tooting the trumpets for full line rail. Full steam ahead!!!!! Yes, this is Emory Morsberger. The developer who is building town centers and strip malls at record pace even through the downcycle. Funny, about the whole thing, Emory trumpets lower traffic congestion, less smog, but hold on? As a massive developer isn't he bringing more and more traffic and smog. No, he just wants us the taxpayer to foot the bill to bring rail to Gwinnett, with terminals where? Well at each of his town center developments of course
I always find it amazing that the mass transit groupies sound the horns with gas at 4 bills a gallon. And let's not forget the developers who want all the windfall off the backs of the taxpayers, afterall we are already paying through the nose for lack of infrastructure due to overdevelopment. Maybe we should have a terminal from Atlanta right at Emory's garage door. Of course the main engine would need a window tag so the massive emerald gates would open up to the private community first.
As for mass transit, I would support it if it was developed using common sense, non mass tax funded, with fiscal controls in place. But when has that happened with government?
One thing I can guarantee if national history is used as an example. You can spend billions for new trains, raise taxes like a New York Liberal, but in the end result you will still have empty seats, increasing annual taxes, and yes, the never ending gridlock you currently have now. Just look at Washington DC, Chicago, New York, LA, and any other major metro area.
As for looking like Detroit, if Atlanta does not soon wake up and place a Mayor and Council with common sense we will need a hell of a lot more than a speed train to stop the slippery slope to poop. The city is just about bankrupt now and should not be at all with the constant business influx it has had over the last decade, but instead Shirley would rather double the tax rates. Nope, there ain't any train to Gwinnett or Bibb that can change the pace we are under now.
I am all for mass transit, but if you think through about how the Atlanta metro area is laid out, it is not mass-transit commuter friendly. So many people living places like Conyers and commute to Tucker or someone living in McDonough commuting to Marietta. Mass transit doesn't work for them. The only options for some of these folks is carpooling and even then that is difficult to pull off, as I have done it myself. The only name that sounds familiar in those articles is Jim Wooten and I believe he was the "conservative" at the fish wrapper when they had the Journal afternoon paper.
So many people living places like Conyers and commute to Tucker or someone living in McDonough commuting to Marietta. Mass transit doesn't work for them.
McDonough to Marietta: Drive to the Lovejoy station, park there, then take the commuter rail into the center of Atlanta then take CCT from the Arts Center until the Atlanta-Marietta line is built, which should be soon after the Lovejoy line is finished.
I don't get the density argument. Look at Fairfield County, CT. Not much more dense than much of metro Atlanta, and there's commuter rail. People drive a few miles to the station, park, and ride.
It isn't about taking everyone off the road, just offering many people the option of taking rail. Obviously, it will have to include multi-modal options such as streetcars. For instance, if you worked at W. Paces Ferry + Northside, you may need to take commuter rail to Cumberland then take a streetcar from there.
I just send this editorial comment to the AJC. Hopefully it gets printed:
Quote:
In his article "Commuter 'pilot project' to Lovejoy is just plain off the rails", Jim Wooten attacks the Lovejoy commuter rail plans from a tax-payer perspective fails to consider the financial benefits the commuter rail will have for our future tax base and the future of metro Atlanta, and what the Lovejoy line means as a first step. There are some major benefits of commuter rail:
1) Increased land value and density within driving distance of the rail, driving up the tax base. For evidence of the affect commuter rail can have on development patterns, look at other metro areas in the country, such as New York City also Chicago. Also, look at the Peachtree Rd corridor in Atlanta for an example of what affect, to a lesser extent, commuter rail could have on some areas around the stations with station-centric urban planning.
2) Beyond the financial benefits, there will also be the benefit of finally being able to focus development along commuter rail lines to tame sprawl. This will mean we can start to be more proactive in transit planning and won't need to expand as many roads in the next 30 years, which will save us money on road widening projects, which area very expensive.
3) Attracting more businesses and keeping existing businesses in the region. Atlanta can be a strong location for more corporate headquarters and major businesses along with growth in small business, however we are being passed up by larger businesses because of our limited transit, and that affects our whole economy.
4) Saving money on gas and auto wear and tear for those who can use the line. Along these lines, commuter rail can also take pressure off our stressed bus systems which are running over capacity because of increased ridership, but unfortunately use the same roads cars do.
Many conservatives have been attacking rail lines with the argument there isn't the density to support commuter rail, and especially the Lovejoy line. As a test of commuter rail, Lovejoy has many benefits including federal dollars already earmarked and lower costs compared to running commuter rail into other parts of the metro. It also will mean we can start working on the transfer center planned downtown, which can serve future lines. One thing to understand about commuter rail is that the density argument doesn't make sense. With ample parking at stations, people will drive to them, just like we see in other metro areas (e.g. NYC) and at the North Springs station. It just takes a slight change in transportation planning so major arterials feed the commuter rail stations just like they currently feed the highways.
I look forward to the Lovejoy line as the first step of commuter rail, and hopefully lessons learned from it will speed the progress of a commuter rail line to other areas of the metro area, including Marietta and Gwinnett County.
I apologize to any conservatives who are pro-rail, of course. It's just that fiscal conservatives are usually the ones opposing rail projects.
I still say that the Griffin line was the first on Perdue's list because in SOME way he has a personal financial benefit out of it. Either he owns land in that area, or someone very close to him does.
Obviously from previous posts, I'm a supporter of commuter rail. Personally I think any first line that goes in place should be more like one to Cumming (through Alpharetta), or Buford/Gainesville, or even Cartersville - these are more heavily populated areas that would take larger advantage over a commuter service than Griffin at this time.
No, Atlanta is not "ideally" laid out for transit since we sprawl in every single direction except "up" (give that time, too). At the same time, what should be do... have every road widened to 22 lanes in each direction, with three levels stacked on top of each other? That's what it would take to greatly reduce traffic if we were to rely ONLY on building roads to solve the problems.
Look at our energy issues right now - it'll take multiple things to fix the problems we have now. We need to continue to explore/refine Hydrogen technology, evolve solar technology, expand wind farms and hydro electric possibilities, and yes, we need more oil, too. It's the same with traffic - yes, we DO need more roads - we need to connect existing roads with new arterial roads, and expand. But we also need to expand heavy rail within limits, have light rail in some areas, people movers in others, BRT in some others, and commuter rail in others. No one system is efficient if it were to be in EVERY area - it's going to take multiple types of solutions in various areas where they are need most, to make an impact on our traffic - just like our energy issues/costs.
It isn't about taking everyone off the road, just offering many people the option of taking rail. Obviously, it will have to include multi-modal options such as streetcars. For instance, if you worked at W. Paces Ferry + Northside, you may need to take commuter rail to Cumberland then take a streetcar from there.
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Thank you! People just don't realize this! Implementing rail/mass-transit is not supposed to fit the needs of every single commute in the metro area.
Put a full mass-transit system in place...and then people have options...many options. If things still don't work for them (still stuck in gridlock/car dependent, etc.)...then they have a decison to make about house and work locations...
I am all for mass transit, but if you think through about how the Atlanta metro area is laid out, it is not mass-transit commuter friendly. So many people living places like Conyers and commute to Tucker or someone living in McDonough commuting to Marietta. Mass transit doesn't work for them. The only options for some of these folks is carpooling and even then that is difficult to pull off, as I have done it myself. The only name that sounds familiar in those articles is Jim Wooten and I believe he was the "conservative" at the fish wrapper when they had the Journal afternoon paper.
I think this is the pitfall people fall into about this. Mass transit cannot work for everyone. You cannot connect every city to every other one. That's virtually impossible. What it does is provides options for some or many people to use it over driving their car. Quite frankly, the argument that the metro area is just too spread out is a faulty one for not starting a more regional mass transit system. Look at areas like Salt Lake City or Dallas. These are metro areas that are now embracing and going forth with major mass transit overhauls/new builds and their metro areas are pretty large as well.
Another thing - why is it always about "me" when it comes to voting on issues like this? I just don't get it. Why aren't people looking out for the greater good? The reduction of cars on the road? The improvement of air quality? Improving quality of life for the city? Helping to attract more businesses here by being more mass-transit friendly? Are people really that narrow-minded in this state to not realize this? If we used the mentality of "I can't use it, so I'll vote no", then public services would bee virtually non-existant, period.
Agreed. The METRO in D.C. is one of the nicest subway systems in this country. I have traveled on it, the Boston T, the NY subway, and MARTA. I have NEVER had fears about it.
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