Georgia DOT to get $2 billion for infrastructure (Atlanta, Decatur: home, live in)

[River_Dawg]

Where does the buck stop when it comes to the port? The city or Savannah or the state of Georgia?

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by Economicsman

What does Atlanta have to do with a T-SPLOST in Savannah? No one is being "arrogant" when people say the most money needs to go to the most who benifit.

Anything that benefits the core Atlanta metro benefits the whole state. Im sure it's the same with NYC and New York, Detroit and Michigan , Chicago and Illinois and Denver with Colorodo, yet those states realize it and don't try to fight their powerhouse city.

You are kidding, right? Just go to Syracuse, Rochester or Buffalo and ask them what they think of NYC!

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by River_Dawg

Where does the buck stop when it comes to the port? The city or Savannah or the state of Georgia?

I have no idea what this means.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

I have no idea what this means.

You should ask for clarification.

[River_Dawg]

Well let me clarify, sorry for the typo. Who call the shots concerning revenue, future development, international trade partner etc? A state employee or city employee?

[StAubin]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

[/b]

You are kidding, right? Just go to Syracuse, Rochester or Buffalo and ask them what they think of NYC!

That's what they think, but that doesn't mean they are right. How do you think the rest of New York would fare if NYC was destroyed? For that matter how would the Country fare.

Atlanta, like it or not, IS the primary economic engine of the state. That's not saying that there are not others, we have a large agricultural industry and a busy seaport in Savannah.

Do you honestly think georgia would be what it is today if it where not for Atlanta?

[cqholt]

busy seaport in Savannah

And where is most of the containers going to? Atlanta, it is the container hub for NS and CSX in the Southeast.

[NY2ATL2NY]

So One could Only HOPE that with this Good news from the feds..The GDOT NEEDS TO focus on Implementing Commuter Rail
Finally...But Im pretty sure that were still decades away from such a Reality...Never seen a place where the rails already exist yet theres no Real power being put into such a simple soulution..it be a diff story if we had to physically build and lay new track but were fortunate enough to already have it...Cmon GDOT...Get it togeter Already and Try somethin Diffrent for Christ Sake! Your precious roads are protected enough already...WE NEED RAIL NOW!!!

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by NY2ATL2NY

So One could Only HOPE that with this Good news from the feds..The GDOT NEEDS TO focus on Implementing Commuter Rail
Finally...But Im pretty sure that were still decades away from such a Reality...Never seen a place where the rails already exist yet theres no Real power being put into such a simple soulution..it be a diff story if we had to physically build and lay new track but were fortunate enough to already have it...Cmon GDOT...Get it togeter Already and Try somethin Diffrent for Christ Sake! Your precious roads are protected enough already...WE NEED RAIL NOW!!!

I see this theory thrown around often, as if it's just a matter of putting a train on those tracks and selling tickets.

a) The majority of the tracks your talking about are owned by companies that still use them for freight, and aren't about to just hand over the use of the tracks to the state, the city, or MARTA.

b) They're freight tracks, and aren't necessarily maintained to the same standards as commuter rail, so even if you got access to them, they'd need plenty of work to make them viable for commuter rail.

c) Most of the lines are single tracks- commuter rail needs two sets of tracks to work, which requires additional right of way, which isn't always the easiest thing to acquire. In many areas, there are buildings, roads, etc., built pretty close to the existing tracks, so it not like you just drop another set of tracks next to the existing line.

d) There are literally hundreds of at-grade crossings that would have to be dealt with. It's one thing to have the gate arms drop once a day (or less) when a freight train goes through- it's another entirely when the arms are dropping every 10 minutes for a commuter train.

While it'd still be easier than starting from scratch, but implementing commuter rail on these lines isn't as easy as you like to make it sound.

[NY2ATL2NY]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

I see this theory thrown around often, as if it's just a matter of putting a train on those tracks and selling tickets.

a) The majority of the tracks your talking about are owned by companies that still use them for freight, and aren't about to just hand over the use of the tracks to the state, the city, or MARTA.

b) They're freight tracks, and aren't necessarily maintained to the same standards as commuter rail, so even if you got access to them, they'd need plenty of work to make them viable for commuter rail.

c) Most of the lines are single tracks- commuter rail needs two sets of tracks to work, which requires additional right of way, which isn't always the easiest thing to acquire. In many areas, there are buildings, roads, etc., built pretty close to the existing tracks, so it not like you just drop another set of tracks next to the existing line.

d) There are literally hundreds of at-grade crossings that would have to be dealt with. It's one thing to have the gate arms drop once a day (or less) when a freight train goes through- it's another entirely when the arms are dropping every 10 minutes for a commuter train.

While it'd still be easier than starting from scratch, but implementing commuter rail on these lines isn't as easy as you like to make it sound.

While I perfectly Understand all of your points which are valid.
My issue is how is that over a dozen other American cities can pull it off yet when it comes
To Atlanta...the argument is always about the freight trains and such...make a deal
With them, build the additional tracks needed and get on with it already...Chicago freight sytem is the most congested and busiest in the country and they manage multiple Train stations and somethin like 300 pasenger trains a day in addition to the Multiple Amtrak routes..so ur saying we cant even implement a Rush hoir based rail service with a few trains to/fro? If Nashville,Sante Fe,Austin which are waaaay smaller than atlanta can pull it off then we can too!...we just dont have the balls to do anything except hide behind points as such being made here....jus admit it georgia dosesnt want commuter rail even though thas how this city got its start to begin with ( originally founded as Terminus)..Its like turning our backs on Hartsfield-Jackson Considering what an Imperative Role it has on the city and state as a whole....Pretty dumb if u ask me