Do you think the light rail project will start by 2010 or 2011 (Atlanta: live in, commuter)

[nortonguy]

Aslong as something gets built I'm cool either way. The CSRA is closing in on 700k in population.

[DarkWolf]

You bests build it now , before its too late. Your Population will only grow , not shrink , but are moving into to cities and not away anymore. The Trend of Large suburbs and living 4 hrs outside the city is over , people are looking to trim there budgets , even when the economy bounces back. 2 Light Rail lines and a Streetcar system in downtown is what you guys need. Will it get built , i can't really say , but one line is built , your city will want a line in there neighborhood.

~Corey

[nortonguy]

I definitely think something will happen in the near future. We have a young and progressive mayor. Augusta elected him back in 2005 when he was 37 years old. Mayor Copenhaver got over 60% of the vote in both of his elections. Alot of people think he will be the governor of GA one day. Because he appeals to both democrats and republicans. Blacks and whites, rural and urban, rich and poor.

The mayor replies to his facebook weekly. Deke Copenhaver | Facebook

[heckkle]

Yes the time is now.

[jetgraphics]

I'd like to point out that proponents of "light rail" may be limiting themselves to a narrow range of rail transit.
We should consider ALL forms of electric traction rail transit:
Heavy rail (mainline), high speed rail, interurban, streetcar, tram, funicular, cogwheel, cable, subway, commuter, as well as multicar segregated right of way light rail.

[EastsideDave]

I think we are likely to see that downtown trolley within the next 5 or so years, but I don't think we'll see any actual commuter rail for quite a while. The city has enough problems operating and paying for the bus system, but once the bus system becomes more widely used and viable, then rail will eventually follow.I believe that the only way we'll see any sort of commuter rail anytime within the next 5-10 years would be if the state started constructing some sort of statewide system.

So, to answer the original question, I think we could see a trolley downtown in as little as 5 years from now (maybe even sooner if growth really picks up); but I don't think we'll see commuter rail any time soon.

[sshamby]

Im not sure what this forum is smoking, but if you think Augusta will get light rail in the next decade, you should consult your physician about the possibility of being delusional.

[EastsideDave]

Originally Posted by sshamby

Im not sure what this forum is smoking, but if you think Augusta will get light rail in the next decade, you should consult your physician about the possibility of being delusional.

That's why the differentiation should have been made between the trolley and actual light rail in the name of the thread, I (and I'm sure nortonguy and many others) know that actual commuter rail is not in Augusta's near future, but I (we) do believe that the downtown trolley could happen within the next several years. In his original post, nortonguy was asking if we thought the DDA's proposed downtown trolley would be constructed in the next few years, I don't believe he was talking about actual commuter rail like the LYNX in Charlotte...

[nortonguy]

Trolley idea on back burner, not forgotten | The Augusta Chronicle
Nearly a year after the Downtown Development Authority of Augusta received a report evaluating the feasibility of a light rail trolley system for the city, the potential project is out of sight but not out of mind, Executive Director Margaret Woodard said.

"We've just been working on other issues. It will resurface through committee," Woodard said. Downtown parking enforcement was one of the issues taking the forefront. The DDA presented a proposal to an Augusta Commission committee this week to enforce downtown parking violations and use the proceeds for downtown revitalization projects.

The idea for a trolley system is not off the authority's radar, Woodard said. The feasibility study said a system would cost between $22 million and $31 million to lay 3.1 miles of track and purchase the streetcars and the facilities to house them. If the transit system crossed the railroad tracks to serve the area's medical campus, that would add about $5 million to the tally.

The most favorable route was a single track running down Broad and Reynolds streets that would cover James Brown Arena down Seventh Street and link downtown to the medical campus down 13th Street.

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by sshamby

Im not sure what this forum is smoking, but if you think Augusta will get light rail in the next decade, you should consult your physician about the possibility of being delusional.

No one is smoking anything. Never say never! Rome wasn't built in a day. There's lots of hope for things to happen in Augusta. The city definitely has some big things happening. Many similar sized metros can only dream of having similar kinds of projects in the works.