New "sky train" at Atlanta airport (info) (coupon, cost)

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

What about the Beltline or Downtown Trolleys?

I haven't looked into so I'm not sure the plans

The city has already submitted funding requests for streetcars on Peachtree from Pershing Point to Five Points, the MLK district, and around Centennial Park. (link)

The streetcar in my view has a better than good chance of being funded. The entire Georgia Congressional delegation supports it, the parts of the city that it is proposed to cover already had streetcars at one point so the neighborhoods can support it, and it just makes sense. While the area under proposal has good MARTA subway coverage, the streetcar will add even more reason to use pubic transportation. I work in Midtown and I know for a fact that there are several people in my office who would like to use the train but hate taking the #23 (which is always packed during the day), or walking the two blocks to the office on bad weather days. This system would be a good addition to an already functional system.

If this is a success (which I think it will be), there are plans to extend the streetcar line on Peachtree north to Brookhaven (which is sorely needed, especially in SoBu and NoBu) and south to Fort Mac.

The Beltline, unfortunately, seems like it will have a rougher time being built. The funding model was based on developers building new office space/ residential units along its path and using the property tax dollars from that development to fund the line. We'll have to wait until the economy gets better for that to see any traction, but I don't doubt for a second that it'll jump off very quickly once it does. The line already goes through densley populated areas, connects in a loop the whole city to MARTA in the edge neighborhoods in the city center, and is just plain cool

[PKCorey]

That picture reminds me more of the light rail in Baltimore then streetcars...

We shall see when the money is doled out....

[Mgyeldell]

I would love to see a Trolley line from the New Schools at Carver, Past Turner Field, Through GSU to Five Points and Connecting with The Peachtree line I would be very happy.

[darkone]

I travel through ATL quite often, and for being as large and busy it is, it is very efficient and quite easy to traverse. Of course those making tight connections might have to break a sweat .... but ATL is a nice airport in which to spend extra time, as is necessary due to delays.

Regarding roadside congestion, I feel that a lot has to do with the roadway design. One problem is that there is a single-level terminal entrance for both arrivals and departures. If there were a multi- (or split) level frontside then there could be a two-level roadway in front of each terminal. This would reduce in half the amount of congestion one faces while dropping off or picking up passengers. The train to the rental car facilities is very beneficial but those shuttle buses have been utilizing another roadway from passenger cars anyway, correct?

[roxyrn]

I was freezing during a rather long wait for the shuttle bus on Monday!
My husband flies in and out of Atlanta every week so it will be interesting to hear what he thinks.

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by darkone

The train to the rental car facilities is very beneficial but those shuttle buses have been utilizing another roadway from passenger cars anyway, correct?

They use the same road as the cars to get into the terminal but have their own private road (hence the gates) at the end of the terminal....

[billl]

Originally Posted by darkone

One problem is that there is a single-level terminal entrance for both arrivals and departures. If there were a multi- (or split) level frontside then there could be a two-level roadway in front of each terminal. This would reduce in half the amount of congestion one faces while dropping off or picking up passengers.

The Atlanta airport already has two-level roadways for both North and South terminal. Most people use the upper level because that's what they are familiar with. Lower level for North terminal isn't terribly useful since it only serves arriving American Airlines passengers, although you can get to it from main baggage claim if you know where to go. Lower level South is well known and lots of locals choose to drop passengers there because it is far less congested than the upper level. What's missing is a clear delineation between arrivals and departures like you have at other major airports where typically upper level is for departures only and lower for arrivals only.

Bill

[Galounger]

Originally Posted by billl

Well, this puts Atlanta one up on O'Hare. The people mover at O'Hare takes people between terminals and the remote parking lots, passing directly over the rental car facility. But it does NOT have a stop for car rentals. For those you still have to take shuttle busses from baggage claim.

Bill

It would be nice if this train also ran to remote parking lots as well. The last time I arrived a Atlanta Hartsfield on an arriving flight I and a friend were forced to attempt to make a long trek by foot dragging heavy baggage in cold weather out to the far hinterlands of ATL international long term parking at 1:00 am. I was told the shuttle that carries people through out the parking area had stopped running by then. Fortunately for us a security officer (who probably thought we were straggling around looking for a car to break into) stopped and gave us a lift.

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by Galounger

It would be nice if this train also ran to remote parking lots as well. The last time I arrived a Atlanta Hartsfield on an arriving flight I and a friend were forced to attempt to make a long trek by foot dragging heavy baggage in cold weather out to the far hinterlands of ATL international long term parking at 1:00 am. I was told the shuttle that carries people through out the parking area had stopped running by then. Fortunately for us a security officer (who probably thought we were straggling around looking for a car to break into) stopped and gave us a lift.

The solution to this problem is to use one of the off-site parking lots. I like Park 'N' Fly Plus, but many of their numerous competitors seem well recommended, also. The advantage of the private lots is they have a shuttle bus waiting to take you right to your vehicle, no matter what time your flight arrives.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

The solution to this problem is to use one of the off-site parking lots. I like Park 'N' Fly Plus, but many of their numerous competitors seem well recommended, also. The advantage of the private lots is they have a shuttle bus waiting to take you right to your vehicle, no matter what time your flight arrives.

That is a good option, assuming the shuttle bus is waiting, or arrives within a reasonably short time. The one time I used an off-site lot, we had to wait a long for the bus to show up (must've been 30 or 40 minutes), all the while watching the busses for all the other lots come and go over and over again. One lady was so angry and verbally abusive to the bus driver she almost got physically violent.