BRT along top perimeter (Atlanta, Smyrna: maintenance, live in, costs)

[netdragon]

I'm concerned about the GDOT BRT (bus rapid transit) plans along the top perimeter. I think this is an "easy-way out" choice that will choke up the planned HOV lanes. I don't believe busses can compare to light rail, and I hope that they are planning to make this just a temporary solution until light rail can be put up.

I live in Smyrna, and would park at the Galleria, hop on light rail from the Galleria to 400 and then take the N-S heavy rail line into downtown (where I work). I really don't think I'd be doing the BRT solution. I don't believe it'll be as smooth, fast, comfortable, and I don't believe it's a gesture at any type of permanent solution. I hope it's just an interim thing, and that they save the money so that when the busses are aging, they can start building light rail and free up the HOV lanes.

What do you think?

See about the plans: http://www.revive285.com

See about the study: http://www.dot.state.ga.us/DOT/plan-...85/index.shtml

Example of why BRT isn't the best choice: http://www.lightrailnow.org/features/f_brt008.htm

Please make comments to GDOT: http://www.revive285.com/publiccomment.asp

Another way to make comments: http://remedy-web.dot.state.ga.us/mi...cheid=183c1d20

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by netdragon

I live in Smyrna, and would park at the Galleria, hop on light rail from the Galleria to 400 and then take the N-S heavy rail line into downtown (where I work). I really don't think I'd be doing the BRT solution. I don't believe it'll be as smooth, fast, comfortable, and I don't believe it's a gesture at any type of permanent solution. I hope it's just an interim thing, and that they save the money so that when the busses are aging, they can start building light rail and free up the HOV lanes.

So why don't you drive to Galleria now and take the express bus downtown? It goes straight from Galleria to 3 Marta stops downtown.

You could do that now and see how you like it.

I plan to start taking the one from Acworth to Downtown next week when I begin my new job.

I don't expect the bus to save me any time at all, but it will save me gas and parking costs downtown. I also can spend those 2 hours do something besides driving. I'll let everyone know what I think.

At this point I still see it as a cost issue, the lots are pretty full in Acworth and Kennesaw but the total number of riders isn't that high, and the lots aren't that big to begin with. I think the ridership in these areas would have to dramatically increase before someone decided to foot the bill for rail.

http://www.xpressga.com/xpress_ridership.htm (broken link)

[xxman777]

The argument for why BRT is a bad choice has a lot of problems with it. For instance it is trying to say that BRT is more expensive then rail to operate. Sure BRT requires more drivers but the capital and the maintenance costs of rail are much, much higher then BRT and rail ends up being much more expensive. Also the BRT lines which are being proposed in Atlanta and talked about in the article are not true BRT lines. A true BRT line is a dedicated right of way, separated from all regular traffic with barriers. They can use HOV lanes (as long as they are separated with barriers from other traffic). There are examples of systems that work but you are right, the way GA is proposing the system it isn't going to work. Other states enforce their HOV lanes. In Atlanta they are a joke. BRT is a just as good of a system (other then the stigma attached to buses) if it is done right and it is much cheaper. I kind of want to vote on the poll but there really isn't an option that I would vote for. I think Light Rail would be a better system but since we aren't going to get Light Rail then I think BRT would still be a significant improvement for the region.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by xxman777

Also the BRT lines which are being proposed in Atlanta and talked about in the article are not true BRT lines. A true BRT line is a dedicated right of way, separated from all regular traffic with barriers. They can use HOV lanes (as long as they are separated with barriers from other traffic). There are examples of systems that work but you are right, the way GA is proposing the system it isn't going to work. Other states enforce their HOV lanes. In Atlanta they are a joke. .

They were talking about HOV lanes on the news the other day, and what it boils down to is that in Atlanta, they're packed like fish in a crate and can't even make the HOV lanes right. In most cities with HOV, there are are you said, barriers (usually concrete) that separate the HOV lanes from all other lanes. This helps keep people from using them as passing lanes, and allows special buses to use them exclusively. If there's an accident on the main road, many times traffic in the HOV lanes can continue flowing as those barriers keep out wreckage or debris from stuff going on in the "regular" lanes.

Atlanta has tried many quick fixes to traffic, and the worst was repaving roads in many areas, narrowing the lanes in size, and adding more lanes in the same amount of space. What this does is adds an extra lane of traffic, but makes each lane VERY narrow. There isn't any room to put in barriers to separate the HOV lanes, so they simply paint double lines for that lane. Ineffective.

Express buses are "better than nothing" in the fact they do take a few cars off the road (note - "a few"). Light or heavy rail however, takes MORE cars off the roads, can run more frequently, and isn't effected by car accidents, mechanical problems, and slow traffic in the same way buses are. There's a bad habit here of trying to fix things in the quickest and cheapest way possible, as opposed to the BEST way to eliminate or reduce the problem you're trying to get rid of to begin with. But then, when state and local leaders don't provide the funding for better projects, or bicker about them, little else can be done at all.

[vandiver49]

ATLGreg is right, BRT is better than nothing. I think everyone knows its not going to work, especially since ATL's HOV lanes aren't seperated. But it was the only thing GDOT and the state goverment would approve since they are vehemently opposed to anything that doesn't involve a paved road.