Atlanta streetcar testing to start friday night (transport, transit)

[Ha-Mez]

The streetcar's connection to the MLK Historical district was critical for it to get the $47m federal funds. The King Historical District is heavily emphasized in the Streetcar's TIGER II application.

It's not the best route, I agree, but the federal gov't is paying half the bill, so I don't mind. Also, Edgewood has some fine bars.

[toll_booth]

Still trying to figure out why some of y'all don't get that this is the FIRST phase of a much bigger plan.

[Ha-Mez]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Still trying to figure out why some of y'all don't get that this is the FIRST phase of a much bigger plan.

Exactly. I think of the streetcar as like an infant. An infant may be cute, but it's not much good for anything except crying and pooping. As it gets bigger, however, it becomes a much more functioning organism.

The streetcar is like that. As it grows, its usefulness will grow as well- not linearly, but exponentially.

[John Williams]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

I haven't dodged anything. You pose this like this is some 'gotcha' question, which is foolish. Raise the gas tax to cover all maintenance costs for roadways. I would be fine with other tax dollars continuing to go toward roadway infrastructure improvements because keeping roads open for the free flow of commerce is important for our economy, especially in the Atlanta area where distribution is such an important part of the local economy. I think these 'other' tax contributions should be smaller than the gas tax contributions. I've said this over and over. This isn't new, son.

Now this is probably the part where you link some whacko study that tries to contribute the asthma of some kid with crappy genes and every other marginally related (yet unproven) cost as a cost of roads which drives up the cost of road infrastructure to levels that are absolutely unrealistic. Don't try to sell me that load of garbage, cuz I'm not buying.

Just to chime in here, but a lot of people see roads as the only viable solution to gridlock that they're willing to tolerate, as most (if not all) forms of public transit are simply anathema to them. The big money loves roadway infrastructure investments because it opens up further land development in the outskirts of the city. It doesn't do much to alleviate congestion problems in the city itself or answer any of the inner-city transit questions on people's minds. At least the new streetcar is a first step towards that.

As far as raising the gas tax to cover more maintenance, I just don't see that happening. If anything, begging the federal government for more federal monies seems to be the way to go on that front.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

The streetcar moves at 7 mph. That improves nothing for anyone.

If you want to admit that the Streetcar is NOT a transportation solution at all and just an expensive gimmick to try to steer growth to an area that has been neglected because is less ideal than other locations, then we can start to have a real discussion.

The streetcar must obey all traffic laws which includes speed limits.
Also, this is phase 1 of a city wide system, the huge cost included the VMF, which as more phases are built can use the existing facility therefore reducing the cost of future lines.
If the other phases get built, the downtown loop will be a success. If the other phases are not built, the downtown loop could become a failure, but you can guarantee that if the future phases are built it will be successful.

[afdinatl]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Still trying to figure out why some of y'all don't get that this is the FIRST phase of a much bigger plan.

Stupidity and some trolling


same as complaining about why a baby isn't working and helping pay some bills in the household

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Still trying to figure out why some of y'all don't get that this is the FIRST phase of a much bigger plan.

Everyone understands that. However, that is still 5-10 years away at the soonest and in the mean time all we'll have is a 1.3 mile loop carrying 2,500 trips per day for $100 million. Even when/if it is extended, you still have a 7 mph average speed because it wasn't designed to have a dedicated ROW. To ignore all of the poor planning for this with the unrealistic expectations that an extension will somehow save this route from the poor planning and design that went into is beyond foolish.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

I would be fine with other tax dollars continuing to go toward roadway infrastructure improvements because keeping roads open for the free flow of commerce is important for our economy, especially in the Atlanta area where distribution is such an important part of the local economy.

So you want 'other' tax dollars to go to roads but not transit?

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by afdinatl

Stupidity and some trolling


same as complaining about why a baby isn't working and helping pay some bills in the household

LOL, that made my day

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by cqholt

The streetcar must obey all traffic laws which includes speed limits.
Also, this is phase 1 of a city wide system, the huge cost included the VMF, which as more phases are built can use the existing facility therefore reducing the cost of future lines.
If the other phases get built, the downtown loop will be a success. If the other phases are not built, the downtown loop could become a failure, but you can guarantee that if the future phases are built it will be successful.

The existing VMF can't be used for more than one expansion! Frankly, depending on what that expansion is, they still might not can use it. It's a pretty small facility.