Who thinks the MARTA should be expanded to include Cobb,Gwinnett, and the other metro Atlanta counties? (Duluth: apartment complex, rent)

[ATLienGirl]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

Well, the blue trains aren't bad but the orange ones literally smell like ****!

I'm a proponent for mass transit, just not rail. atlgreg, you are right on about the park n ride, I do it now. The problem is the cost of rail compared to the actual number of people that use it. That's why I'm a proponent of the Bus Rapid Transit (Bus only lanes, or at least seperated HOV lanes.

Most of the traffic issues are getting to the perimeter, not inside the perimeter. I don't see the point of driving to perimeter mall and then hopping on Marta to go downtown. You're only a few miles away and not that bad traffic from there.

I'm an alumn of GT and they constantly have GTRI proposing projects. This month's alumni magazine has an article called 'Disconnect the Connector'. You can google it to read it.

Their study says that ~50% of the trips on the downtown connector originate outside 285 and have destinations OUTSIDE the perimeter. About 75% of the connector traffic passes thru, with only 25% actually using the highway to access the central business district.

They actually propose cutting the lanes to 6 instead of 12 and forcing others to use 285 as well as expansion of mass transit. good article and interesting. They're premise is just to get people talking, stating that most major cities don't have a major interstate right thru the middle.

Oh my gosh, you MUST be kidding, right? 285? With all those trucks and stuff? I MUST google that article and read it. You are correct, that WILL get people talking, they CAN'T be serious!! 285 is a MESS as it is!!

[atlantagreg30127]

They could narrow down the connector to TWO LANES and you know what people here would do? Drive on it anyway. Yes, they would. They'd get up at 3am to leave for work if they had to, but they would never change their driving routes if the city did that - they ARE that ignorant and set in their ways.

[green_mariner]

We need new leadership. We need a governor who is going to be tough and spend the money of a light rail line whether people like it or not.

[atlantamoi]

Ick, more bus lines? Not for me. Rail all the way! I want some transit that doesn't compete with other cars.

[gnatty8]

Edited, someone already covered my point.

[ATLienGirl]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

They could narrow down the connector to TWO LANES and you know what people here would do? Drive on it anyway. Yes, they would. They'd get up at 3am to leave for work if they had to, but they would never change their driving routes if the city did that - they ARE that ignorant and set in their ways.

Yes, you are SO right! Ignorant people will find a way to get around it instead of FIX it, no matter how stupid it is and complain the whole time.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by ATLienGirl

Yes, you are SO right! Ignorant people will find a way to get around it instead of FIX it, no matter how stupid it is and complain the whole time.

I agree as well. People complain about crime so much and the irony is that crime somehow gets to even safe areas because the real criminals can steal cars and rob people. It can happen. I think that alot of people would rather stay in traffic for 2 or 3 hours a day and spend $100 on gas a week than see some person that they would see as an "undesirable" walking around.

[Merin]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I agree as well. People complain about crime so much and the irony is that crime somehow gets to even safe areas because the real criminals can steal cars and rob people.

You are so right. We had a break-in in my development, some neighbors(later) saw the car(at a local gas station) and took down the license plate number. After seeing the car for the 3rd time they were finally able to get the correct number. The first two times the car was spotted it had stolen tags on it.

[green_mariner]

I know what you mean. If the MARTA did go to Cobb County, I could work in Atlanta, or even Gwinnett County where there are jobs. Sadly, so ,many residents only care about themselves. They would say, "get a job", but how to do you get a job if you don't have a car and the jobs are far away? Everyone think about that.

[Prichard]

What about the people who need work and can't get to jobs because there is little work where they live and the work they can find is not accessible by transit?

Why would I vote to bus people in from depressed areas just so they can try to find jobs where I live? Or, why should I be required to suffer to support a poorer community that cannot sustain itself? I don't want that. If I did, I'd move to the depressed areas and open a business there to provide jobs for people. I admit, I am not that kind-hearted.

The reason that people continue to move out to the outskirts of Atlanta is to get away from bussing programs, such as MARTA, which want to import cheap labor for industrial areas. Why would I want to grow bigger industrial areas in my nice rural-suburban community? If MARTA doesn't benefit the residents of a community, and those residents don't want MARTA in their town, why are a bunch of poor, unemployed people from a city 30 miles away cramming this down on an outlying community? Sounds quite draconian to me.