DOT Returns Revised Transportation Wish List to Atlanta Region (Sandy Springs: budget, suburban)

[arjay57]

It's completely counter-productive to blast people in Cobb. They are not stupid.

Personally, I think they'd be well advised to throw a little bread on the water with this TSPLOST and establish a foothold on the future. If they don't, they're going to be stuck in the same place they're in now 10, 20 and 30 years down the road. As the Sapota article pointed out, had they joioned MARTA in 1970 they'd have 40 years of rail under their belt and would be in the position of striking out into new territory. As it is, Cobb still hasn't gotten out of the starting gate.

How can a big, prosperous and urbanized county like Cobb hope to stay in the forefront if it limits its transportation options to roads only? Even its peer counties in the metro area are forging ahead.

Sure, rail takes a little time. But so do roads and bridges. None of this is going to give you relief tomorrow or even next year.

But it's all about setting your plans for the future. When folks continue to insist that their plans for the future look exactly like what they've got today, well, you can guess how the future will turn out.

I just hate to see a fantastic place like Cobb go into the ditch by refusing to look ahead 5, 10 and 20 years down the road. Believe me, the time slips by in heartbeat. Was 1991 really that long ago?

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by jpatlanta

I notice the meeting was held in Kennesaw that well known bastion of intellect.

Let's be honest here: Cobb is known pretty much worldwide as being backward in most things so its no surprise they are still coming out with the old arguments about crime (run-on sentence). It says volumes about the level of intelligence of Cobb's residents if that (they not that) buy into this BS.

Anyone who disagrees about Cobb's reputation should travel a bit, they may even discover the world isn't flat..................

Ha ha!!!

I see what you did in your post.

That was clever!

You made fun of people who think differently than you do!!!

Now that alone was totally awesome, but then you took it one step further!

You totally knocked it out of the park when you threw the "I'm enlightened because I talk about being well traveled" card down.

BAM!

Well played.



See corrections above in red ink. If you are going to try to be clever, at least use grammar check so you don't look foolish.

[jpatlanta]

Yeah I didn't use the best verbiage as I am busy at work.

Still what I said is a fair comment IMHO..........if people buy into the crime argument to stop road alternatives they are not too intelligent.........

[toll_booth]

I ask for the umpteenth time: If rail is not the solution in Cobb County, what IS the solution?

[Cameron H]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

I ask for the umpteenth time: If rail is not the solution in Cobb County, what IS the solution?

Based on the linked articles, it sounds like "no one wants to go to Atlanta" and they just want to be able to get around Cobb County better. I think that's very short-sighted, but if that's the case, let them pave over the whole county.

As long as they don't expect to do the same to the city, I really don't have a problem with that.

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

I ask for the umpteenth time: If rail is not the solution in Cobb County, what IS the solution?

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[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by jpatlanta

You wanna see anti car go to the NE, PNW or pretty much any first world country outside the US. In NYC, DC, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, SF, Portland, Minneapolis etc even Charlotte they spend a much higher percentage of transport funds on alternative transport.

I can't really comment on the others, but Minneapolis isn't as much anti-car as it is pro-alternative. That's why you see the push for light rail now in addition to buses, rent-a-bikes, and improved traditional roadways.

It isn't as simple as picking one or the other ... a combination of transportation modes can coexist just fine inside a metro area, and can service a wide variety of needs and lifestyle choices.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by jpatlanta

I notice the meeting was held in Kennesaw that well know bastion of intellect.

Lets be honest here: Cobb is known pretty much worldwide as being backward in most things so its no surprise they are still coming out with the old arguments about crime. It says volumes about the level of intelligence of Cobbs residents if that buy into this BS.

Anyone who disagrees about Cobbs reputation should travel a bit, they may even discover the world isn't flat..................

I'm a transplant to the Atlanta metro who has lived in Cobb for almost seven years ... not only is the Cobb County government well known for its excellent schools, but it has been recognized for its transparency of government and overall high level of education:

Cobb County, Georgia - Sunshine Review

I would politely suggest that you revisit your assumption set ... you illustrate one of the reasons why newcomers like myself have come to treat a certain subset of ITPers with utter disdain. You have no understanding at all of the nature of the world outside I-285. Grow up!

I don't pretend to know how life is lived ITP, but I also don't presume to tell you how to run your neighborhood or city. Please give us the same courtesy.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

I ask for the umpteenth time: If rail is not the solution in Cobb County, what IS the solution?

Why are well-placed bus lines treated with such disdain? Provide those along a dozen or so key corridors within Cobb and provide areas for parking, and you can begin a structural move towards eventual rail buy-in while serving current needs using existing transportation resources.

With the new Macland Connector, most key points in the county have a nice straight shot to Cumberland where they can interface with MARTA. I would ride a bus myself (Route 70 goes right by my house) if I had a nice place to park in the nearby area.

Edit ... Route 70 used to go by my house. According to the CCT map, it's gone. But it would make sense to bring back that route and others, IMO, with guaranteed funding.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

Why are well-placed bus lines treated with such disdain? Provide those along a dozen or so key corridors within Cobb and provide areas for parking, and you can begin a structural move towards eventual rail buy-in while serving current needs using existing transportation resources.

With the new Macland Connector, most key points in the county have a nice straight shot to Cumberland where they can interface with MARTA. I would ride a bus myself (Route 70 goes right by my house) if I had a nice place to park in the nearby area.

Edit ... Route 70 used to go by my house. According to the CCT map, it's gone. But it would make sense to bring back that route and others, IMO, with guaranteed funding.

Bus is an underrated form of transportation, IMO. Heck, I've actually taken MARTA buses on rare occasions, not including the Braves shuttle, and it's actually quite a reliable system; the only real catch is the infrequency of service on some lines.

As far as a major network of buses goes, particularly bus rapid transit, it does have three major disadvantages over rail: (1) The ride is a lot less smooth than rail; (2) unless built on its own guideway that can be just as expensive as rail, it's vulnerable to street traffic irregularities; and (3) its ridership numbers tend to be lower. But to counter, it does have two advantages: (1) It tends to be cheaper, and (2) if powered by fuel and not electricity, it can be reasonably affordable to move the line entirely in the future.