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

[arjay57]

And the business community continues to be completely untouchable.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by Airforceguy

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/n...consensus.html

The Saporta Report on that same topic: Fulton’s transportation stance nears consensus despite differences among mayors

Reed (ATL) and Belle (Alpharetta) are the two major hold outs it appears. Reed says he'll consider a .25% - .75% split for the first five years if he is shown that it won't, ultimately, harm the expansion efforts.

Belle says no to .5% at all. He just wants BRT, even though his city will get DIRECT rail access. I have no idea why he, out of everyone, isn't for the current plans.

Originally Posted by jsvh

Some pretty significant transit expansions inside the city limits better be coming and not just 400N extention if CoA is picking up a larger share of this tax. Hopefully getting Streetcar / Beltline transit going.

I hope so to. I know Reed wanted to push for Atlanta's portion of the Fulton .5% to go to streetcars, and that the plan was to split up the funds based on population, so ATL might get a decent bit to join with MARTA's contribution inside the city.

[primaltech]

Belle Isle's position is totally bonkers insane, for the future best interests of his city. He should be more for heavy rail than anyone else at that table. His city, Alpharetta will by far get the most out of this tax levied on the entire county. 3 out of the 5 new stations would be within his city limits. Which means all the bus routes coming from the surrounding, less ideally located cities, will be feeding right into his city and their various commercial districts.

If this passes, once MARTA gets their final plans together and starts construction, Alpharetta development will boom. Then once it's complete and the stations open, development will boom even more. Alpharetta's economy will end up a close competitor with Sandy Springs, if it isn't there already.

And the quiet subdivisions of Alpharetta will still remain exactly that. They will just have commute options.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Belle Isle's position is totally bonkers insane, for the future best interests of his city. He should be more for heavy rail than anyone else at that table. His city, Alpharetta will by far get the most out of this tax levied on the entire county. 3 out of the 5 new stations would be within his city limits. Which means all the bus routes coming from the surrounding, less ideally located cities, will be feeding right into his city and their various commercial districts.

If this passes, once MARTA gets their final plans together and starts construction, Alpharetta development will boom. Then once it's complete and the stations open, development will boom even more. Alpharetta's economy will end up a close competitor with Sandy Springs, if it isn't there already.

And the quiet subdivisions of Alpharetta will still remain exactly that. They will just have commute options.

Great post. Excellent observations.

[fieldm]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Belle Isle's position is totally bonkers insane, for the future best interests of his city. He should be more for heavy rail than anyone else at that table. His city, Alpharetta will by far get the most out of this tax levied on the entire county. 3 out of the 5 new stations would be within his city limits. Which means all the bus routes coming from the surrounding, less ideally located cities, will be feeding right into his city and their various commercial districts.

If this passes, once MARTA gets their final plans together and starts construction, Alpharetta development will boom. Then once it's complete and the stations open, development will boom even more. Alpharetta's economy will end up a close competitor with Sandy Springs, if it isn't there already.

And the quiet subdivisions of Alpharetta will still remain exactly that. They will just have commute options.

Somebody is in his back pocket

[fieldm]

It looks like EVERYONE should be on board in another month. More people agree that we need expansion since the talks started last year. I think within a month the other two mayors will be on board.

Now we just have to see what is up with Gwinnett

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by fieldm

It looks like EVERYONE should be on board in another month. More people agree that we need expansion since the talks started last year. I think within a month the other two mayors will be on board.

Now we just have to see what is up with Gwinnett

Is it better to expand by running very expensive new lines out into low density suburbs, or by beefing up the system in the areas it currently serves?

[fieldm]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Is it better to expand by running very expensive new lines out into low density suburbs, or by beefing up the system in the areas it currently serves?

Too early in the morning for trolling sir

[bu2]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Is it better to expand by running very expensive new lines out into low density suburbs, or by beefing up the system in the areas it currently serves?

Well Belle Isle thinks its better to save a bunch and do BRT out to Alpharetta.

[bu2]

As a general rule, I think he is right. But out 400, this would force transfers around 285 as there doesn't appear to be a feasible way to add HOV/HOT lanes inside 285. And that would significantly reduce ridership as well as duplicating service in an area already having HRT down the middle of the freeway.