MARTA Upgrades (Atlanta, Scottdale, Stone Mountain: friendly, natural gas, distance)

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by autolycus25

That's inexcusable, and is why I get annoyed by people who just complain about how terrible the "ATL" name is. That's not the point. The point is that it takes an hour and a half to use transit to get between two places that take 1/4-1/3 as long by car, and we have to fix that. Accept that the "ATL" brand is going to happen and start supporting the idea of more unified transit system.

Someone can acknowledge the cruddy branding of 'ATL', without wanting to discard the other parts of the effort, though things banning Heavy Rail extension, and getting rid of state-level funding sources are pretty garbage. Especially since part of the reason for creating a new brand was supposedly to convince usually MARTA-adverse people that transit is okay now because it has a new name.

At least make the name and branding something good.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

Someone can acknowledge the cruddy branding of 'ATL', without wanting to discard the other parts of the effort, though things banning Heavy Rail extension, and getting rid of state-level funding sources are pretty garbage. Especially since part of the reason for creating a new brand was supposedly to convince usually MARTA-adverse people that transit is okay now because it has a new name.

At least make the name and branding something good.

Very important to remember, there is $0 dedicated year-to-year state funding for transit.

[autolycus25]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

Someone can acknowledge the cruddy branding of 'ATL', without wanting to discard the other parts of the effort, though things banning Heavy Rail extension, and getting rid of state-level funding sources are pretty garbage. Especially since part of the reason for creating a new brand was supposedly to convince usually MARTA-adverse people that transit is okay now because it has a new name.

At least make the name and branding something good.

I've never said people can't or shouldn't criticize the branding, but be clear that's what you're doing, and don't have that be the only comment you make. I've seen a number of comments like, "This is the dumbest idea ever," with no other context. So... does that mean the brand is bad or the entire idea of the authority is bad?

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by brownhornet

Have to agree. For example if I wanted to go from Cumberland to Perimeter Mall. In the car, outside of peak traffic times it takes me like 5 minutes straight across 285..

5 minutes? Cool story, bro. Minimum 15 minutes unless you are going 90-100 mph the whole way to Ashford Dunwoody.

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

5 minutes? Cool story, bro. Minimum 15 minutes unless you are going 90-100 mph the whole way to Ashford Dunwoody.

It usually takes longer than 5 minutes just to get to 285.

[brownhornet]

Originally Posted by autolycus25

From Cumberland Mall to Perimeter Mall is 9-10 miles. I think you're doing something that is really common with drivers, myself included: We tend to underestimate how long it actually takes to drive somewhere (especially by diminishing delays at stop lights, because of traffic, parking, etc.) while over-inflating the time it takes to get somewhere by transit.

FWIW, Cumberland to Perimeter Center is one of the biggest, most obvious gaps in our current transit system. It involves at least 2 counties, one of which has MARTA and another that doesn't. It is exactly the situation that HB930 and the ATL authority were designed to fix.

I think the point is pretty obvious. It wouldn't take a 10th of the time to drive there as it would to ride a bunch of buses and trains. Even if I changed the location and said Clayton County, Jonesboro. Taking Marta to the north side of town using bus after bus, then transferring to train after train. I'd have been home, had a shower, made dinner and be eating before you even got home. It just is what it is. Only advantage would be something like downtown to Midtown. Or Midtown to Lenox. Other than that, in no way, shape or form is it more convenient or even close to more efficient than just driving. Thats why after 85 was repaired the vast majority of those folks went right back to driving.

[brownhornet]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

5 minutes? Cool story, bro. Minimum 15 minutes unless you are going 90-100 mph the whole way to Ashford Dunwoody.

Which I usually am considering the pace the traffic moves on 285.

[brownhornet]

Originally Posted by SEAandATL

It usually takes longer than 5 minutes just to get to 285.

Don't know how you drive but if it takes you 5 minutes to get to 285 from Cumberland...you're doing it wrong.

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by brownhornet

I think the point is pretty obvious. It wouldn't take a 10th of the time to drive there as it would to ride a bunch of buses and trains. Even if I changed the location and said Clayton County, Jonesboro. Taking Marta to the north side of town using bus after bus, then transferring to train after train. I'd have been home, had a shower, made dinner and be eating before you even got home. It just is what it is. Only advantage would be something like downtown to Midtown. Or Midtown to Lenox. Other than that, in no way, shape or form is it more convenient or even close to more efficient than just driving. Thats why after 85 was repaired the vast majority of those folks went right back to driving.

I live in Sandy Springs and the MARTA train is actually better than driving if I'm going to Downtown, Midtown, or even parts of Buckhead.

Originally Posted by brownhornet

Don't know how you drive but if it takes you 5 minutes to get to 285 from Cumberland...you're doing it wrong.

Sometimes waiting at a red light is longer than 5 minutes. What am I supposed to do, run the red light?

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by brownhornet

Which I usually am considering the pace the traffic moves on 285.

LMAO. I figured as much....