MARTA to make an $8 billion pitch to change the face of Atlanta (Alpharetta: land, transit)

[primaltech]

If the Gold line ever continues up through Gwinnett, Doraville wouldn't need near as much parking, and at least one of those big garages could become an office building or apartment tower or something.

BTW, there's still just enough room in DeKalb county to put one more Gold line station at the end of the line, at Oakcliff Rd at New Peachtree Rd. If you actually look at it on Google Maps (or drive by the site in real life), you can see the station is already kind of outlined/placed, and cleared, as if they planned to build it at one point. There's even turn in driveways that go nowhere. I presume MARTA owns the site. Might be wrong.

The county line is up further, where the Raceway is. So I'd think it would fit without the tracks going over. Anyway, you could call the station "Norcross/Peachtree Corners", or whatever, and it would more directly serve at least the Buford Highway corridor.

All these years/decades, whenever going by there on 285, I've always thought it was weird/sad/unfortunate that the train actually does have a bridge over 285 and goes outside the perimeter for another 1,000 ft or so. It's just that Doraville is the last stop.

All that could have/ should have been...

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by primaltech

If the Gold line ever continues up through Gwinnett, Doraville wouldn't need near as much parking, and at least one of those big garages could become an office building or apartment tower or something.

BTW, there's still just enough room in DeKalb county to put one more Gold line station at the end of the line, at Oakcliff Rd at New Peachtree Rd. If you actually look at it on Google Maps (or drive by the site in real life), you can see the station is already kind of outlined/placed, and cleared, as if they planned to build it at one point. There's even turn in driveways that go nowhere. I presume MARTA owns the site. Might be wrong.

The county line is up further, where the Raceway is. So I'd think it would fit without the tracks going over. Anyway, you could call the station "Norcross/Peachtree Corners", or whatever, and it would more directly serve at least the Buford Highway corridor.

All these years/decades, whenever going by there on 285, I've always thought it was weird/sad/unfortunate that the train actually does have a bridge over 285 and goes outside the perimeter for another 1,000 ft or so. It's just that Doraville is the last stop.

All that could have/ should have been...

I believe Oakcliff was the original planned site for the Doraville station.

[sumitsu]

Included with the meeting minutes from the 2016.01.13 meeting of the Fulton County commissioners is a document which discusses the distribution options for TSPLOST funds: http://agendaminutes.fultoncountyga....1607382329.PDF

At the end of that document, there is a short summary of the meeting discussion, including this snippet:

After a lengthy discussion of all options, there appeared to be willingness among the cities and
county for a compromise in the amount of 0.75% for T-SPLOST which would leave 0.25%
capacity if MARTA was able to make changes in the current law in relation to their tax structure.
Everyone is encouraged to keep track of the Legislative Session in regards to MARTA legislation.

For those of us who think that rail is the right approach in North Fulton: this is not looking good. It isn't decided yet, but I'm afraid that we're about to pursue an approach that, while cheaper (maybe), will be insufficient as the strong transit backbone that the area needs.

As an aside, the document also enumerates all the possible distribution options on page 37. Option #1 is the TSPLOST/MARTA 50/50 option as separate ballot questions (which several posters here have been favoring). Option #3 is the "compromise", which the summary suggests is the current front-runner, and would probably lead to North Fulton getting BRT instead of HRT. Option #4 specifically suggests asking the General Assembly to raise the 8% sales tax limit to accommodate both MARTA's 0.5% ask and TSPLOST at 0.75% or 1%.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by sumitsu

Included with the meeting minutes from the 2016.01.13 meeting of the Fulton County commissioners is a document which discusses the distribution options for TSPLOST funds: http://agendaminutes.fultoncountyga....1607382329.PDF

At the end of that document, there is a short summary of the meeting discussion, including this snippet:



For those of us who think that rail is the right approach in North Fulton: this is not looking good. It isn't decided yet, but I'm afraid that we're about to pursue an approach that, while cheaper (maybe), will be insufficient as the strong transit backbone that the area needs.

As an aside, the document also enumerates all the possible distribution options on page 37. Option #1 is the TSPLOST/MARTA 50/50 option as separate ballot questions (which several posters here have been favoring). Option #3 is the "compromise", which the summary suggests is the current front-runner, and would probably lead to North Fulton getting BRT instead of HRT. Option #4 specifically suggests asking the General Assembly to raise the 8% sales tax limit to accommodate both MARTA's 0.5% ask and TSPLOST at 0.75% or 1%.

Not a good sign for Red Line extension. All these so called 'conservative' commissioners are about to screw their constituents in the name of a cheaper alternative.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Not a good sign for Red Line extension. All these so called 'conservative' commissioners are about to screw their constituents in the name of a cheaper alternative.

Penny-wise, pound-foolish bay-bee!!!!

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by primaltech

If the Gold line ever continues up through Gwinnett, Doraville wouldn't need near as much parking, and at least one of those big garages could become an office building or apartment tower or something.

BTW, there's still just enough room in DeKalb county to put one more Gold line station at the end of the line, at Oakcliff Rd at New Peachtree Rd. If you actually look at it on Google Maps (or drive by the site in real life), you can see the station is already kind of outlined/placed, and cleared, as if they planned to build it at one point. There's even turn in driveways that go nowhere. I presume MARTA owns the site. Might be wrong.

Are you talking about the driveway/empty lot just north-northeast of the Oakcliff/New Peachtree intersection? If so, yeah, looks like there's room for a station there. Not sure if there would be room for parking, though, without demolishing some nearby industrial buildings. Maybe build the parking deck/lot on the other side of the tracks, similar to some of the stations on the Blue Line? The bus bay and Kiss Ride could still probably be adjacent to the station.

The county line is up further, where the Raceway is. So I'd think it would fit without the tracks going over. Anyway, you could call the station "Norcross/Peachtree Corners", or whatever, and it would more directly serve at least the Buford Highway corridor.

All these years/decades, whenever going by there on 285, I've always thought it was weird/sad/unfortunate that the train actually does have a bridge over 285 and goes outside the perimeter for another 1,000 ft or so. It's just that Doraville is the last stop.

All that could have/ should have been...

Yeah. Maybe someday.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by sumitsu

There's also the fact that MARTA commissioned Kennesaw State to conduct a statistically-valid opinion survey of what North Fulton residents think of MARTA expansion, and the results strongly favor expansion: http://www.itsmarta.com/uploadedFile...ntation(1).pdf

Among the results: 76% favor expansion. 77% favor rail expansion, with a plurality in favor of HRT.

(Full results, if you're interested: http://www.itsmarta.com/uploadedFile...arta-Final.pdf)

There are any number of reasons that any one particular poll might not accurately reflect public opinion, but all that Senator Albers offers as refutation are vague anecdotes and unsupported innuendos. I've yet to see any representation of public opinion with the statistical rigour of MARTA's survey which refutes MARTA's finding that North Fulton residents overall support MARTA expansion.

Good info, with some interesting nuances.

I guess we will see what happens.

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Are you talking about the driveway/empty lot just north-northeast of the Oakcliff/New Peachtree intersection? If so, yeah, looks like there's room for a station there. Not sure if there would be room for parking, though, without demolishing some nearby industrial buildings. Maybe build the parking deck/lot on the other side of the tracks, similar to some of the stations on the Blue Line? The bus bay and Kiss Ride could still probably be adjacent to the station.

Yep. I agree.
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.9144.../data=!3m1!1e3

Put the station + bus bay (for GCT buses, anyway) on New Peachtree, and put the parking back in that area behind the tracks, with an access from Oakcliff Rd. With a pedestrian bridge over the tracks.

In addition to west Gwinnett, the station would also serve Johns Creek, the back half of Dunwoody, outer Doraville, Northcrest area and north Tucker, and the far east part of Roswell.

That said, though, I would prefer the next station on Gold (someday) to be at Amwiler or Jones Mill, a little closer to the heart of Norcross and Peachtree Corners. And then the line would cut over to the I-85 corridor, along that spur track behind Button Gwinnett Dr.

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Not a good sign for Red Line extension. All these so called 'conservative' commissioners are about to screw their constituents in the name of a cheaper alternative.

Pretty stupid and ridiculous if you have to exit the train and wait for a bus, just to continue in the same direction along the Red line. And then that bus has to pull over and stop 5 times on the way up to Windward.

Just extend the dang train. The right of way is there, the end of the line is ready to go, already right along the highway.

Let's not be cheap and half-ass, especially where full high quality would be so much more optimal.

[jsvh]

I say let N Fulton suffer in traffic longer if that is what they want.

Building out transit in urban areas is more impactful anyways, CoA should direct all their funds to the Beltline / Streetcar transit expansion.

Clifton Corridor expansion would be impactful though, and it is basically all in DeKalb. So maybe DeKalb will still do a 0.5% for MARTA and that will get built.