MARTA unveils its dream project list for November Referendum (Atlanta: camp, trains)

[1lifealex]

Buckhead could receive some major, long-awaited transit projects—including a new Armour Yard station and the BeltLine and Clifton Corridor train lines—if Atlanta voters approve an additional half-percent MARTA sales tax, according to the transit agency’s wish list. The city and MARTA are holding a local meeting to get public input on the proposed project list and potential road projects as well on Weds., May 25, 6:30 p.m. at Buckhead’s Passion City Church, 515 Garson Drive.

MARTA is already funded partly by a 1 percent sales tax, or SPLOST, in DeKalb and Fulton counties that continues through the year 2057. This year, state legislation allowed city of Atlanta voters to decide on raising that sales tax by up to a half-percent, only within the city and only for MARTA projects largely within city limits. The tax boost, which also could include another half-percent increase for road projects, could appear on the November ballot either this year or in 2017, though officials are pushing for this fall.

That tax boost could raise an additional $2.5 billion, according to MARTA. That could help fund many long-planned projects in coming decades, such as building light rail circling the city on the BeltLine.

As part of the eventual SPLOST ballot question, the city needs to draw up a list of projects. MARTA is working on a project list that it has presented to Atlanta City Council and is vetting in public meetings. The current list, provided by MARTA, includes several big rail and bus projects in Buckhead:

A new Armour Yard rail station on the Gold and Red Lines. Armour Yard, at Piedmont Road and I-85, currently has a MARTA maintenance facility.
BeltLine light rail. Buckhead’s segment of the BeltLine would run between Armour Yard and I-75 along Peachtree Creek, the Shepherd Center and Piedmont Hospital.
Clifton Corridor light rail. This new line would run from Buckhead’s Lindbergh Center Gold/Red Line station to the Blue Line’s Avondale station through the Emory University area.
Arterial rapid transit bus on Peachtree Street and Peachtree Road. “Arterial rapid transit” means a bus that runs especially frequently and with priority at signals and in lines. The Peachtree route would run through Buckhead between Five Points station in Downtown to the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe Gold/Red Line station in Brookhaven. MARTA proposes pedestrian improvements on that corridor as well.
Bus rapid transit on Northside Drive. “Bus rapid transit” means the bus would travel mostly in a dedicated lane. The Northside route would run between southwest Atlanta and I-75 on the Buckhead border.
Besides the May 25 Buckhead meeting, three more public meetings are coming up: May 26, 6:30 p.m., Adamsville Recreation Center, 3201 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive N.W.; June 1, 6:30 p.m., at the Rosel Fann Recreation Center, 365 Cleveland Ave. S.E.; and June 2, 6:30 p.m., at the Helene Mills Senior Center, 515 John Wesley Dobbs Ave. N.E. in the Old Fourth Ward.

MARTA intends to submit a draft project list to the City Council by May 31 and hopes for a council vote approving it by June 20. If that happens, the tax-boost question would be forwarded to the Fulton County Commission for review and possible placement on the November ballot

[primaltech]

By "BRT" on Northside Dr, I wonder if they just mean, "Where there's 3 lanes a side, we'll convert the right lane to a Bus Only (like 17th St), and run an articulated bus". Or if we're talking real BRT with center alignment and center median stations (of light rail station quality), like Euclid Avenue in Cleveland.

Also, not only should any MARTA BRT have off-board fare collection, but so should ART, and the high frequency 40' routes.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by primaltech

By "BRT" on Northside Dr, I wonder if they just mean, "Where there's 3 lanes a side, we'll convert the right lane to a Bus Only (like 17th St), and run an articulated bus". Or if we're talking real BRT with center alignment and center median stations (of light rail station quality), like Euclid Avenue in Cleveland.

Also, not only should any MARTA BRT have off-board fare collection, but so should ART, and the high frequency 40' routes.

BRT can be either right on left-side loading, but my guess is it would be right-side boarding and have a minimal station, similar to the current streetcar stops.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by cqholt

BRT can be either right on left-side loading, but my guess is it would be right-side boarding and have a minimal station, similar to the current streetcar stops.

This is my guess too. I wouldn't be surprised if they used the Xcelsior 60ft articulated busses for it, either. The major difference, I suspect, between BRT and ART as MARTA intends to implement it, will be in the lane separation, intersection alignments for buses, potential dedicated signals, and possible off-board pay.

I would like to see some lane designs for MARTA's BRT, and see to what degree the buses are separated from traffic. Are we simply talking paint? A raised curb? Plastic bollards? What about bus-specific traffic signals and intersection alignments? To what extent will the stops be stops vs. stations? Will we see the slightly larger design like the streetcar stops, or simple bus shelters?

MARTA's own definition of BRT (taken from the Fulton county expansion email) describes level-boarding, defined stations, at least signal prioritization, and pre-board ticketing. I guess we'll have to see what kind of traffic separation we'll get.


On a similar note, I had emailed Benjamin Limmer the point of contact for commenting on the MARTA wish list, about adding the bus-signage overhaul to the list, using the ARC universal bus sign guide and outlines. I got back a generic response email about 2 weeks later (yesterday) thanking me for the input and suggesting coming by the review meeting(s). Since I can't (what with being across the country and all) I was hoping someone who's planning on going would bring it up there? I can give y'all the napkin math and explanation if anyone wants it.

[cqholt]

Build your own MARTA Expansion!!!

This application provides an interactive look at how the MARTA tax could be spent by allowing users to construct their own project list from a "menu" of potential investments. Potential projects include a range of rail, bus, and station enhancements, and are drawn from both official proposals as well as grassroots/citizen suggestions.

MartaMenu.com - Visualize the Future of Transit in Atlanta

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Build your own MARTA Expansion!!!

MartaMenu.com - Visualize the Future of Transit in Atlanta

Nice. Think this is my first pass at a project list: MartaMenu.com - Visualize the Future of Transit in Atlanta

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Nice. Think this is my first pass at a project list: MartaMenu.com - Visualize the Future of Transit in Atlanta

Your boss can thank me for the loss of productivity.
http://www.martamenu.com/?projects=i...bns,lbop,freq5

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Build your own MARTA Expansion!!!

MartaMenu.com - Visualize the Future of Transit in Atlanta

Awesome! Lots of info there, and a good way to look over costs. I'm curious as to why the limit is $2.5 Bil. and not 5... huh

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

Awesome! Lots of info there, and a good way to look over costs. I'm curious as to why the limit is $2.5 Bil. and not 5... huh

Expected federal funds would about offset by O+M (operations and maintenance) costs that need to be included. So this is still a fair proxy but obviously there are a lot of nuances this tool will not cover like each quadrant of the Beltline LRT would not be exactly $460M each.

[fieldm]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

Awesome! Lots of info there, and a good way to look over costs. I'm curious as to why the limit is $2.5 Bil. and not 5... huh

Because the other money isnt guaranteed