Who thinks the MARTA should be expanded to include Cobb,Gwinnett, and the other metro Atlanta counties? (Lawrenceville: how much, luxury)

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by johnatl

Sadly coolyfett, I'm afraid so. I consider him to be a complete dolt that has actually held the State back in many, many ways.

I love his solution to the traffic problem here. Add more buses to the traffic. Sheer genius.

[green_mariner]

I read that MARTA could lose alot of money due the financial crisis.

[turtlemom]

In hard times, bus and rapid rail ridership usually goes up.

[Urbanobserver]

I think they should set up something like the Long Island Railroad. It would cost a little more, but that would likely elimate some of the sketchy types I encounter on Marta. I understand not wanting Marta going into the suburbs. I live Intown, and I use Marta. It's got some interesting elements.

However, a slightly more expensive commuter line would discourage people with no purpose from riding it, which could eliminate some problems. Before I get criticized for downing some of the people on Marta, try riding it for a few days. It gets old.

[green_mariner]

I would liketo see this:

A high speed(statewide) maglev commuter rail for between the cities(from Chattanooga to Rome to Atlanta to Columbus to Macon to Savannah,etc.)
A maglev rail for the metro area stretching to all of the metro counties(this includes Cherokee, Paulding, Carroll, Hall, Fayette,etc.), and connects to the statewide rail.
A bus service for separate entities inside the counties to connect to the metro rail.

I would hope for something like that, but will GA citizens want to pay for it? That is the test. It could be helpful.

If other places around the world can do this, why can't Georgia do it?

[coolyfett]

Originally Posted by Urbanobserver

I think they should set up something like the Long Island Railroad. It would cost a little more, but that would likely elimate some of the sketchy types I encounter on Marta. I understand not wanting Marta going into the suburbs. I live Intown, and I use Marta. It's got some interesting elements.

However, a slightly more expensive commuter line would discourage people with no purpose from riding it, which could eliminate some problems. Before I get criticized for downing some of the people on Marta, try riding it for a few days. It gets old.

Well dude its only 38 stations. Some of the stations lack adjacent developments. If Marta could encourage this type of development, the system would flourish.

Sketchy Types? You mean the bums doing the "I need Money announcements"? Dude ignore those bums man!!! They are harmless.

Man you need an empty gun.

[coolyfett]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I would liketo see this:

A high speed(statewide) maglev commuter rail for between the cities(from Chattanooga to Rome to Atlanta to Columbus to Macon to Savannah,etc.)
A maglev rail for the metro area stretching to all of the metro counties(this includes Cherokee, Paulding, Carroll, Hall, Fayette,etc.), and connects to the statewide rail.
A bus service for separate entities inside the counties to connect to the metro rail.

I would hope for something like that, but will GA citizens want to pay for it? That is the test. It could be helpful.

If other places around the world can do this, why can't Georgia do it?

Can you go into further detail?

[meadgrad]

I read somewhere that Marta was actually starting to look at light rail...as over a 30 yr span, lt rail is actually cheaper than bus. by 30 years, they would have replaced a bus three times, where as lt rail cars can last 50 yrs or more. (this includes all the infrastructure costs etc)

marta started running busses in 71, so it officially got more expensive 7 years ago!

[green_mariner]

I have heard that MARTA fares are being raised and some routs may be cut. Things do not look good for public transit in Atlanta.

[Callidus23]

I'm going to be at GSU and I live in the heart of Gwinnett and the its $180 monthly to travel to GSU. That's more than triple the price of gas, how can you justify that? Going to Atlanta from the suburbs is like diffusing, little bit of biology there, its ridiculously slow and inefficient. There was a recent study, [url=http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0102261]PLOS ONE: The Southern Megalopolis: Using the Past to Predict the Future of Urban Sprawl in the Southeast U.S[/url], basically it says that urban sprawl is going to lead environmental issues but not only that, you guessed even more traffic.