Transit making strides in northern suburbs

[ATLTJL]

And the whole crime
Element is played out already

Nobody who is against transit has used that argument in probably 30 years. The only people I have ever heard use it are people who blame Cobb and Gwinnett for voting down MARTA because they feared crime. I have never actually heard anybody from Cobb or Gwinnett say they don't want mass transit because they fear crime, so you're right, that element is played out and it has played out.

These so called "aesthetics" are Bannanas...its a Public transit system to move the masses...Not be all pretty and pleasing to the eye...

Well, it can't be heinously ugly either. Many suburban areas spend a lot of money on beautification and landscaping, they aren't going to be too happy about ugly commuter rail rambling through. Luckily, in today's age, they don't have to. There are plenty of attractive and quiet designs available. They just cost more. Also, many modern suburban areas have codes requiring all utility lines to be buried. I don't think they would take kindly to erecting power lines for trains to run off of. I don't see why we couldn't use high speed monorails, like a souped up version of what people take around Disney World, but I'm sure there's a reason nobody has proposed that.

Why build a sperate rail system jus to connect to the already Present sytem??? Simply extend the MARTA to where it needs to be extended

It's because people don't trust MARTA. If they are going to be taxed for something, they want local control over it. MARTA has a pretty sloppy track record of how it uses funds, and I think Cobb and Gwinnett counties would want their taxes staying put to design nice stations in their counties, not getting diverted to improve stations in Fulton and Dekalb. MARTA also doesn't have much public oversight, and I bet Cobb and Gwinnett would create a mass transit agency where the leaders could be voted in or out by the public at election. Or they would at least create agencies that report directly to the public, not the GDOT or whoever MARTA reports to.

[cqholt]

It's because people don't trust MARTA. If they are going to be taxed for something, they want local control over it. MARTA has a pretty sloppy track record of how it uses funds, and I think Cobb and Gwinnett counties would want their taxes staying put to design nice stations in their counties, not getting diverted to improve stations in Fulton and Dekalb. MARTA also doesn't have much public oversight, and I bet Cobb and Gwinnett would create a mass transit agency where the leaders could be voted in or out by the public at election. Or they would at least create agencies that report directly to the public, not the GDOT or whoever MARTA reports to.

That's not how a region works. We all work together to better the entire region. The current stations on MARTA are great, Civic Center is the only station in the world that is below a street, but above a freeway. GA State Station is inside a buildiing, Peachtree Station is beatiful with the exposed granite walls. Ashby Station is a great design. So MARTA has designed some great stations. MARTA has opened its books to third party investigations, never seen GDOT, CCT, or GCT do that. You want MARTA to report to the citizens, then write your elected official and tell them to change the legislation.

I don't see why we couldn't use high speed monorails, like a souped up version of what people take around Disney World, but I'm sure there's a reason nobody has proposed that.

MONEY! Monorails are very expensive. HRT are nice and very speedy, MARTA gets up to 75 mph on the stretch in 400.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Nobody who is against transit has used that argument in probably 30 years. The only people I have ever heard use it are people who blame Cobb and Gwinnett for voting down MARTA because they feared crime. I have never actually heard anybody from Cobb or Gwinnett say they don't want mass transit because they fear crime, so you're right, that element is played out and it has played out.

I can't speak to Cobb and Gwinnett directly, but here in Rockdale, that's the main argument by the people against MARTA. Read the Rockdale Citizen, every pro-MARTA comment, has what seems like nealy a half-dozen "MARTA will bring crime, and oh yea, is poorly run" comments.