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That Armour Yard station -- will the Red/Gold Line trains descend down to the proposed station? Or some sort of elevated station built?
That's a good question, and probably better answered by someone with more knowledge of station design than I have. My assumption would be that the Red/Gold (north/south) platform at Armour Station would be built alongside the existing Red/Gold tracks as they pass through the station, at the existing elevation of those tracks.
The Green (east/west) platform could be elevated above the Red/Gold platform, underground in a tunnel below it, or alongside the Red/Gold platform on the east or west, depending on where the Green Line tracks are laid. One challenge with putting the Green Line platform or tracks alongside is that the Amtrak tracks run immediately to the west of the existing Red/Gold tracks, and I am not sure how much freedom MARTA has to build in the immediate vicinity of those tracks.
I wrote a short proposal on Medium suggesting that MARTA study extending the Green Line from Bankhead Station through northwest midtown, along the Amtrak rail corridor: https://medium.com/@sumitsu/the-gree...n-7c0480bb615d . The long-term idea would be to transform the Green Line into a loop, running on the east side along the Clifton Road Corridor (and replacing the existing light-rail LPA).
In light of the opportunity presented by the City-of-Atlanta-only MARTA expansion which likely will be approved this November, I think that something along these lines might be worth considering as part of the package of MARTA-expansion projects to be presented to the city later this spring.
Here's a direct link to the Green Line Loop map referenced by the proposal: https://goo.gl/hqyPkU , and another to the (somewhat more speculative) Atlanta-area map from which it was drawn: https://goo.gl/jlrTb3
Thoughts?
So, some back of the napkin math estimates that your phase 2, 5-mile plan would cost ~$1.5 Billion. The full, 11-mile plan would cost ~$3.9 Billion. Looking at just the 8.25 miles within the city of Atlanta would cost ~$2.5 Billion.
That's not to say that it isn't entirely possible, since the $2.5 Billion in city revenue seems like it will come before any federal backing, but it is worth noting that this is a mid-range estimate. It could very well be less, or it could be more.
Compared to the 15.3 miles of Lightrail and streetcar currently in EIS for ~$1-$1.5 Billion, I don't know how to feel about it. Theoretically we could fund your 5 mile initial segment and the current streetcar / lightrail plans, assuming we get full federal matching, and still have some $2 Billion left for other projects.
This is not a statement for or against, just something I didn't see in your proposal. I like your ideas, and need to take another read through your full explanation!
I wrote a short proposal on Medium suggesting that MARTA study extending the Green Line from Bankhead Station through northwest midtown, along the Amtrak rail corridor: https://medium.com/@sumitsu/the-gree...n-7c0480bb615d . The long-term idea would be to transform the Green Line into a loop, running on the east side along the Clifton Road Corridor (and replacing the existing light-rail LPA).
In light of the opportunity presented by the City-of-Atlanta-only MARTA expansion which likely will be approved this November, I think that something along these lines might be worth considering as part of the package of MARTA-expansion projects to be presented to the city later this spring.
Here's a direct link to the Green Line Loop map referenced by the proposal: https://goo.gl/hqyPkU , and another to the (somewhat more speculative) Atlanta-area map from which it was drawn: https://goo.gl/jlrTb3
Thoughts?
That is not a bad idea. It'd bring west Midtown and Atlantic Station online, it'd greatly improve the service of the Green Line, it would hook up with the future Beltline in multiple locations (Armour in particular), and it'd be 100X better than the joke of the proposal that is currently the Clifton Corridor.
I'd personally probably prefer a stretch to the west first, particularly get a line going out to what will be Bellwood Quarry and ideally the inevitable opening (hopefully) of the Waterworks Park.
I too would like to see the Green Line extended NW to serve that area and give those residents easy downtown access. The costs of building HRT is so high that without using extra RR ROW, it would be near impossible to tunnel a lot of this proposal.
My preference for the Green Line would be for it to continue NW about 3 more stops, and terminate near Bolton Rd @ Marietta Rd, to serve the Riverside and Bolton communities, the growing West side and the West Highlands along the way, the southwest parts of Buckhead, and the new Moore's Mill/Marietta development. And that would be with normal full length trains, so the Bankhead station platform would need to be extended. And all these stations would have new TOD built with.
The other nice thing that would accomplish is finally bringing rail to Cobb's doorstep. Cars and CCT bus routes along the Atlanta Rd and S Cobb Dr corridors, could utilize the new terminus station at Bolton.
On the east end of the Green Line heavy rail, my preference would be for it to split heading north, just west of East Lake station (as was the plan back in the 80's/90's, and a track provision is already built for that), then stop at North Decatur/Clairmont, then cut west and stop at Clifton Rd at the heart of Emory, then Briarcliff Rd, then Cheshire Bridge, then terminate at Lindbergh, which is basically the second MARTA hub station.
I love the idea of the Armour infill on Red/Gold, but that would connect the Beltline light rail line, not the Green Line. Along with pedestrian access both from the Beltline and a walking bridge across Peachtree Creek. So residents of Brookwood, Brookwood Hills, Peachtree Hills, Armour, Piedmont Heights, and Morningside, would all use Armour Station as their nearest heavy rail station. And people coming down from North Fulton and North DeKalb and Gwinnett counties would use Armour as their convenient access point to get on the Atlanta Beltline trail system.
As for Atlantic Station/ Northside Dr/ Howell Mill/ West Paces Ferry/ Cumberland, my preferred solution right now is for an all new line (it could be HRT, LRT, or BRT, in order of my preference), that would be an all underground tunnel line from Arts Center station, heading northwest to a stop under Atlantic Station (with new pedestrian access to the north, at Loring Heights/Brookwood/Deering Rd), then a stop at Northside Dr @ Beltline (which would include MARTA and Beltline parking), then a stop under Howell Mill District, then continues until it crosses past Collier Rd, then it would emerge from underground and use I-75 ROW corridor and be an at-grade or elevated commuter line to Cumberland/Braves at Akers Mill/Galleria, via a stop at West Paces Ferry. The Cobb County portion would be only one mile, a single stop, ITP with Atlanta address, and could be paid for by the Cumberland CID, rather than stubborn Cobb having to fully join MARTA. Cobb's own bus transit system would connect up with that, and cover the rest of the county.
Also as far as HRT, I want to see the Krog St infill (regardless of whether it connects with Beltline LRT), the Mechanicsville infill, Hunter Hills infill at Chappell Rd, extend Blue Line west to Boulder Park Dr @ 285 and then southwest to terminate at Benjamin E Mays.
Bring the east Blue Line out to Stonecrest as planned, bring the Red Line out to Windward as planned. Bring the Gold Line out to Sugarloaf. New MARTA commuter rail lines from East Point to Lovejoy for Clayton, and East Point to Palmetto for S Fulton. BRT on Buford Highway and Roswell Rd. Amtrak High Speed Rail from Downtown Atlanta MMPT to Charlotte/DC/NY.
Final thing that would be cool, if the Green Line went up to North Decatur and then looped to Emory, a new line could split from there and run up to North Druid Hills, Northlake @ 285, and Tucker. Tucker Station would serve an urban Downtown Tucker area, and also provide park & ride option for commuters coming from Lilburn and Mountain Park. It would also provide a shuttle bus directly to Stone Mountain Park from the terminus station, probably using Hugh Howell Rd.
My preference for the Green Line would be for it to continue NW about 3 more stops, and terminate near Bolton Rd @ Marietta Rd, to serve the Riverside and Bolton communities, the growing West side and the West Highlands along the way, the southwest parts of Buckhead, and the new Moore's Mill/Marietta development. And that would be with normal full length trains, so the Bankhead station platform would need to be extended. And all these stations would have new TOD built with.
The other nice thing that would accomplish is finally bringing rail to Cobb's doorstep. Cars and CCT bus routes along the Atlanta Rd and S Cobb Dr corridors, could utilize the new terminus station at Bolton.
On the east end of the Green Line heavy rail, my preference would be for it to split heading north, just west of East Lake station (as was the plan back in the 80's/90's, and a track provision is already built for that), then stop at North Decatur/Clairmont, then cut west and stop at Clifton Rd at the heart of Emory, then Briarcliff Rd, then Cheshire Bridge, then terminate at Lindbergh, which is basically the second MARTA hub station.
I love the idea of the Armour infill on Red/Gold, but that would connect the Beltline light rail line, not the Green Line. Along with pedestrian access both from the Beltline and a walking bridge across Peachtree Creek. So residents of Brookwood, Brookwood Hills, Peachtree Hills, Armour, Piedmont Heights, and Morningside, would all use Armour Station as their nearest heavy rail station. And people coming down from North Fulton and North DeKalb and Gwinnett counties would use Armour as their convenient access point to get on the Atlanta Beltline trail system.
As for Atlantic Station/ Northside Dr/ Howell Mill/ West Paces Ferry/ Cumberland, my preferred solution right now is for an all new line (it could be HRT, LRT, or BRT, in order of my preference), that would be an all underground tunnel line from Arts Center station, heading northwest to a stop under Atlantic Station (with new pedestrian access to the north, at Loring Heights/Brookwood/Deering Rd), then a stop at Northside Dr @ Beltline (which would include MARTA and Beltline parking), then a stop under Howell Mill District, then continues until it crosses past Collier Rd, then it would emerge from underground and use I-75 ROW corridor and be an at-grade or elevated commuter line to Cumberland/Braves at Akers Mill/Galleria, via a stop at West Paces Ferry. The Cobb County portion would be only one mile, a single stop, ITP with Atlanta address, and could be paid for by the Cumberland CID, rather than stubborn Cobb having to fully join MARTA. Cobb's own bus transit system would connect up with that, and cover the rest of the county.
Also as far as HRT, I want to see the Krog St infill (regardless of whether it connects with Beltline LRT), the Mechanicsville infill, Hunter Hills infill at Chappell Rd, extend Blue Line west to Boulder Park Dr @ 285 and then southwest to terminate at Benjamin E Mays.
Bring the east Blue Line out to Stonecrest as planned, bring the Red Line out to Windward as planned. Bring the Gold Line out to Sugarloaf. New MARTA commuter rail lines from East Point to Lovejoy for Clayton, and East Point to Palmetto for S Fulton. BRT on Buford Highway and Roswell Rd. Amtrak High Speed Rail from Downtown Atlanta MMPT to Charlotte/DC/NY.
Final thing that would be cool, if the Green Line went up to North Decatur and then looped to Emory, a new line could split from there and run up to North Druid Hills, Northlake @ 285, and Tucker. Tucker Station would serve an urban Downtown Tucker area, and also provide park & ride option for commuters coming from Lilburn and Mountain Park. It would also provide a shuttle bus directly to Stone Mountain Park from the terminus station, probably using Hugh Howell Rd.
From looking at this they do not have any planned expansions for the Bankhead line. Does that mean they can magically announce an expansion to it before May 31 or do they have to have studies done first to add any expansion plans that are not on this list?
From looking at this they do not have any planned expansions for the Bankhead line. Does that mean they can magically announce an expansion to it before May 31 or do they have to have studies done first to add any expansion plans that are not on this list?
It's not on the public website, but that doesn't mean they haven't looked at the possibility or studied it in an internal and preliminary sense, at least enough to know if it makes any sense or would be possible.
There must have been some kind of old study at some point in the early 90's, since the Green Line was intended to go up to Perry Blvd, but they only ended up with 1 of the stations built instead of the planned 2.
From looking at this they do not have any planned expansions for the Bankhead line. Does that mean they can magically announce an expansion to it before May 31 or do they have to have studies done first to add any expansion plans that are not on this list?
Well, very technically speaking, the I-20 East project will be an expansion of the Green Line which will skip several stations between Indian Creek and Georgia State.
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