2012 Atlanta Region Transportation Referendum (Sandy Springs, Chamblee: new construction, cost of, rated)

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by shivtim

That's incorrect. Read the project list. It states explicitly what will be built for the Cobb transit project - it's BRT. The only caveat is it says if additional funding (AKA Federal funding) can be secured, it could be upgraded to light rail.

Nope, BRT has been dropped

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

Nope, the Cobb portion isn't defined, it was, but then they changed it and it's supposed to get 'studied' to see what best fits. So again, know one knows what the $600million project is going to entail and that's the biggest portion of Cobb's money.

So, Yes, they are asking us to vote for something so we can see what's in it later.

Partially true. Here is the list of projects from Cobb County's website:

http://dot.cobbcountyga.gov/TIA/Fina...County_web.pdf

The biggest single line item is the nearly $700 million earmarked for "Enhanced Premium Transit Service ‐ Acworth / Kennesaw Northwest/ Town Center to MARTA Arts Center Station."

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Partially true. Here is the list of projects from Cobb County's website:

http://dot.cobbcountyga.gov/TIA/Fina...County_web.pdf

The biggest single line item is the nearly $700 million earmarked for "Enhanced Premium Transit Service ‐ Acworth / Kennesaw Northwest/ Town Center to MARTA Arts Center Station." Do we know what "premium transit service" really means? Is there specific detail on that or is that what's up in the air?

It used to say BRT, then was changed to this after they do a 'study' to determine was that "premium transit service" is. See shivtim comment, that was the original line item

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

It used to say BRT, then was changed to this after they do a 'study' to determine was that "premium transit service" is. See shivtim comment, that was the original line item

I just found it:

"This project will implement enhanced premium transit service along the Northwest Corridor between Acworth/Kennesaw/Town Center and
the MARTA Arts Center Station including express commuter service in northern Cobb County and Cherokee County. Operational
improvements include Queue Jumper Lanes and Smart Corridor Implementation (signal pre‐emption) which benefit the Region by
improving safety and operations of Cobb Community Transit Route 10, currently one of the busiest public transit bus routes in the
Southeast. The project includes design, right of way and construction. Also included is a maintenance depot, parking facilities and the
purchase of transit vehicles. Premium transit service benefits residents of the Region by improving access between CCT and MARTA, and
alleviating traffic congestion on major corridors. Contingent upon additional funding, this project may also provide a fixed guideway rail
service along a route generally parallel to I‐75/US 41. Phase 1 would provide fixed guideway improvements between Cumberland/Galleria
and the MARTA Arts Center Station. Numerous studies support the feasibility of this project. The 2010 update of the Northwest Corridor
Transit Implementation Study (2001) estimates projected ridership of 92,600 boardings by 2025, including circulators. The Northwest
Corridor High Capacity Transit System is defined in the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), and is included in both the Cobb County 2030
Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) and Concept 3 as developed by the Transit Planning Board. If implemented, Phase 1 would
provide economic and traffic benefits for the Region as a whole. Specific details will be further determined in an Alternatives Analysis Study,
which is currently underway."

[neil0311]

An interesting tidbit is that the "Implementation Band" noted for the $695 million dollar Cobb project is slated for "Construction likely to occur in Band 3 (2020‐2022)" which means that Cobb taxpayers will pay taxes for 7 -10 years before they see any benefit from this project, the biggest one for Cobb, specific details yet to be determined. Nice.

[shivtim]

^Ahh, the "GIVE ME RESULTS NOW" mindset, combined with the anti-tax mindset, and the ME ME ME mindset. So refreshing to see it lives on in suburban Atlanta. Your own elected representatives chose this project as most beneficial to Cobb. If you don't like it, vote against them in the next election. And by all means, vote against the 1 cent tax because you don't like the project in your backyard, completely disregarding the overall benefits to the region. Heck I think Cobb should split up into 3 different counties and add some more cities so you guys can have more local control. Everyone should pay for only the road on the street they live on.

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by shivtim

^Ahh, the "GIVE ME RESULTS NOW" mindset, combined with the anti-tax mindset, and the ME ME ME mindset. So refreshing to see it lives on in suburban Atlanta. Your own elected representatives chose this project as most beneficial to Cobb. If you don't like it, vote against them in the next election. And by all means, vote against the 1 cent tax because you don't like the project in your backyard, completely disregarding the overall benefits to the region. Heck I think Cobb should split up into 3 different counties and add some more cities so you guys can have more local control. Everyone should pay for only the road on the street they live on.

We just passed a 1% SPLOST tax so this would be another 1% and no one knows what the majority of the money will go to. Just 'improved transit', that's it.

And if you look at the bands, damn near every project for Atlanta kicks off immediately.

Even the original project was to start at Cumberland to midtown and 'then' in the future, if there was more money, move up to Marietta, Kennesaw, Acworth. Which doesn't really benefit the rest of Cobb anytime soon.

I'm not saying there aren't good projects, I'm just saying this is a tough sell to Cobb after the regular SPLOST just passed by 45 votes. I also take the Xpress Bus everyday, but we need to know where and what the money is going to.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

We just passed a 1% SPLOST tax so this would be another 1% and no one knows what the majority of the money will go to. Just 'improved transit', that's it.

To the contrary, we know exactly where the majority of the money will go.

Local jurisdictions still get to decide where the 15% money will be spent, although some have already been laying out plans.

If you're in doubt, join one of the Wireside Chats.

You can listen to last night's Cobb County session here:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/83469416/Co...ing_6-6-12.wav

[Onthemove2014]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Downtown is still the largest employment center, per jobs, in the metro area. .

Got a source for that?

Originally Posted by cqholt

Atlanta is a polycentric area with several employment nodes.

So why are we focusing on downtown?

[shivtim]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Local jurisdictions still get to decide where the 15% money will be spent, although some have already been laying out plans.

Cobb is one of only two jurisdictions (Cobb and the city of Atlanta) that have announced specifically what they will spend the local 15% on. The law doesn't require that these local projects be decided ahead of time, but Cobb went ahead and did it and released it to the public. So you know exactly what you'll be getting.