Atlanta seeking $29.3 million grant to extend streetcar to BeltLine (tax, water)

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by Pemgin

Georgia passed over for TIGER grants | Route 666

Well, now what?

That is disappointing. Thanks for the update anyways.

[AcidSnake]

Originally Posted by arjay57

What is your take on the feds blasting MARTA and the COA over the streetcar, cq?

//www.city-data.com/forum/41388751-post19.html

Meh.

Quite frankly the Feds(Obama) can just tinkle off.

They haven't said not one word about GDOT and how that agency deals with minority contractors/vendors...but have just anything and everything to say about the Atlanta airport and now the streetcar.

Why does the Feds(Obama) keep taking the "L" far too often than not when it comes to dealing with Georgia conservatives?

Frack this!

[AnsleyPark]

I doubt President Obama even knew about this.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

I doubt President Obama even knew about this.

Yeah, I think it has more to do with the way the city's been handling the operations more than anything. That, and none of the other projects in the metro were funded. It would seem that if there were some kind of bias against anyone (which I doubt there is), it would be the state, since not just Atlanta projects weren't funded.

• The city of Roswell, for a project to build sidewalks, two roundabouts, and a reversible lane system.
• The city of Johns Creek, to build a flexible lane on Ga. 141/Medlock Bridge Road.
• Fulton County, to upgrade the I-285 and Cascade Road interchange.
• The city of Atlanta, to extend the Streetcar line east to the Beltline/Krog Street Market area.
• The city of Atlanta, to partner with the PATH Foundation to build a multi-use path on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from Fulton Industrial Boulevard to Northside Drive with connection stubs for MARTA.
• Cobb County, to create the Cobb Parkway Smart Corridor project, which adds transit signal prioritization to 35 signals on U.S. 41, transit queue jump lanes at six intersections, improvements to reduce vehicle delays at three intersections, arterial road detection and surveillance equipment and digital message signs.

[DirkMcGirt]

Even the free spending Feds don't believe in crappy streetcar project. LOL

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by DirkMcGirt

Even the free spending Feds don't believe in crappy streetcar project. LOL

A good idea with a bad execution is still a good idea. I don't blame the feds for not funding the extension after their comments on how the city was operating it.

[jsvh]

I mean it is not really even that much of a snub at the streetcar, none of the other projects in GA got funded either and transit projects in other cities got overlooked too.

I think the city just needs to move forward with this short extension on it's own. It is not that much more expensive (any one of the major properties CoA has recently sold would cover what the Fed grant would have been). And it will add a lot of value by just getting it to the Beltline @ Irwin. It would be nice to be on the Beltline and have a quick connection into downtown and vice versa. Plus then the Beltline can pick up building LRT extensions from there.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by jsvh

I mean it is not really even that much of a snub at the streetcar, none of the other projects in GA got funded either and transit projects in other cities got overlooked too.

I think the city just needs to move forward with this short extension on it's own. It is not that much more expensive (any one of the major properties CoA has recently sold would cover what the Fed grant would have been). And it will add a lot of value by just getting it to the Beltline @ Irwin. It would be nice to be on the Beltline and have a quick connection into downtown and vice versa. Plus then the Beltline can pick up building LRT extensions from there.

Yes, I would vote for a bond to build this extension.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Yes, I would vote for a bond to build this extension.

Bonds might be alright, but i'm not really aware of how well the city is doing financially to say yay or nay.

There is always the 5-year TSPLOSTs that the State agreed on last legislative session. That could be used to fund bonds for construction.

I'm hesitant to do such a thing like that though, especially if MARTA gets their chance at upping their sales tax rate in the City and Fulton and Dekalb. Granted, if that happens, then MARTA might be pitching in to help pay for expansions.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

Bonds might be alright, but i'm not really aware of how well the city is doing financially to say yay or nay.

There is always the 5-year TSPLOSTs that the State agreed on last legislative session. That could be used to fund bonds for construction.

I'm hesitant to do such a thing like that though, especially if MARTA gets their chance at upping their sales tax rate in the City and Fulton and Dekalb. Granted, if that happens, then MARTA might be pitching in to help pay for expansions.

I am sure CoA residents would pass a TSPLOST were .5% went to MARTA and .5% went to BeltLine/Streetcar plan.