MARTA to make an $8 billion pitch to change the face of Atlanta (housing, affluent)

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Will they start on the southwest part of the trail?

It wouldn't hurt to pave a few potholes, too.

SW trail is already well under construction: The Westside Trail is Roaring Ahead; Eastside, Not so Much - Curbed Atlanta

"Potholes" got a big bunch of funding from the infrastructure bond. I think transit deserves an independent vote so it doesn't get muddied down like the 2012 TSPOLST.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by 0nyxStation

The Sky is not falling. Atlanta Georgia will be just fine. Rail doesnt need to be extended. People need to move near rail if they want rail access. 37 Stations pick one.

Man, it's almost like people want transit available to a wide-range of both jobs and residences within the metro. It's almost like they can't just up and move for a variety of reasons that aren't really in their control that dictate where they can afford to live.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by jsvh

SW trail is already well under construction: The Westside Trail is Roaring Ahead; Eastside, Not so Much - Curbed Atlanta

"Potholes" got a big bunch of funding from the infrastructure bond. I think transit deserves an independent vote so it doesn't get muddied down like the 2012 TSPOLST.

The Westside Trail will have all the infrastructure and right of way waiting to lay tracks and string gantries, but requires more miles of Streetcar to reach. The Eastside Trail is closer, but will require all the right of way and underlying infrastructure to be built.

I give them both about equal difficulty to getting rail on them, and so wouldn't be surprised if the city started by just building out both ends at the same time while getting the Eastside Trail ready for tracks.

[kferq]

Originally Posted by jsvh

The problem is not even North Fulton. The creator of this reps North Fulton. Most of North Fulton supports this bill. Even most Republicans in Fulton support it. The problem is certain local leaders and state reps that overlap into other areas.

Yes, here is the reality: In gerrymandering the districts to prevent creating Democratic districts, the legislature made Cobb, Gwinnett, Cherokee and in the South rural districts dip into Fulton. The representatives in these districts do not support the bill, and because the Fulton county delegation does not support it, it cannot advance as local legislation.

Thus the Republican party has prevented the Republicans in North Fulton from having adequate representation in their own delegation, so North Fulton cannot vote on MARTA expansion. I think the Republican leaders and voters in this area need to think hard about supporting this redistricting that dilutes their own voting power.

[skbl17]

Not sure what all the whining is about; SB 330 is still alive. According to the AJC article, SB 313 (the original bill that was originally assigned to SLOGO - the wrong committee) is dead, but remember that SB 330 was the bill that made it out of the Transportation Committee. It just needs a floor vote by Monday, assuming the Hastert rule doesn't get to it.

If I don't see SB 330 passed by Monday night, or if the AJC issues a correction regarding the bill number (313 -> 330), then this effort is dead.

EDIT: Of course, the news still isn't good. The AJC's Legislative Tracker has the chance of SB 330 passing at 32%. SB 313's still at 72%, but that's irrelevant now.

- skbl17

[Atlwarrior]

Our state government some of the biggest idiots on earth.

[cqholt]

Moving forward, Atlanta can still have a SPLOST use that money to fund BeltLine/Streetcar expansion.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Will they start on the southwest part of the trail?

It wouldn't hurt to pave a few potholes, too.

There is money from the Renew Atlanta Bond for that. The money from that bond is strictly prohibited from being used on new construction.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by skbl17

Not sure what all the whining is about; SB 330 is still alive. According to the AJC article, SB 313 (the original bill that was originally assigned to SLOGO - the wrong committee) is dead, but remember that SB 330 was the bill that made it out of the Transportation Committee. It just needs a floor vote by Monday, assuming the Hastert rule doesn't get to it.

If I don't see SB 330 passed by Monday night, or if the AJC issues a correction regarding the bill number (313 -> 330), then this effort is dead.

EDIT: Of course, the news still isn't good. The AJC's Legislative Tracker has the chance of SB 330 passing at 32%. SB 313's still at 72%, but that's irrelevant now.

- skbl17

They both are dead. Neither is on the Senate agenda for a vote.

[wasel]

Kind of ironic on a day when there was an accident on 285WB that caused some hell for a few hours. It was complete gridlock. I hope the lawmakers were stuck in it.