The ATL: new regional transit system (Atlanta, Roswell: ferry, budget, station)

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) should be modeled after Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). MBTA is one single, comprehensive, multi-modal transit system for the greater Boston area. They run the commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, BRT, and local bus, wherever each type of service is appropriate. And MBTA is a division of the Massachusetts DOT, and receives state funds.

It works for Boston, and I think it could work well for Atlanta. Much, much better than what we're used to.

GRTA already operates in 13 counties across Metro Atlanta, and once it takes over the operations of MARTA/CCT/GCT, would then run commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, BRT and local bus, wherever each type of service is appropriate.

As far as funding, let's just have a new statewide mandatory 1% sales tax for transit (for all transit across the state, including GRTA), from which Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton and City of Atlanta would be exempt from, until their existing MARTA sales tax agreements expire someday.

That would generate the funds necessary to do everything we need to do, and do it well. It would also provide one unified infrastructure for planning and operational efficiency.

All we'll end up, if a single system is to run everything in the metro, is political gridlock as everyone tries to get funding for themselves. Suburbs will fight urban interests (as they already do) to bring more service, likely more than needed, out at the expense of core services. The urban core will fight (as they already do) to bring more service, likely more than needed, in at the expense of exurban services.

I have NO faith in this state to establish an agency with fair representation to the needs of its members.

Why is it SO awful to have two agencies acting as layers of service?

[primaltech]

Just raise the state base sales tax from 4% to 5%, for statewide transit. Then make sure every county at least gets something, like a commuter bus stop at their town center, a regional rail system stop, or something.

Let it be proportionally allocated as it's collected. A 1% sales tax in Cobb would generate billions, and would fund an extensive and robust transit network in Cobb. A 1% tax in Taliaferro County would generate enough for a single bus stop.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Just raise the state base sales tax from 4% to 5%, for statewide transit. Then make sure every county at least gets something, like a commuter bus stop at their town center, a regional rail system stop, or something.

Let it be proportionally allocated as it's collected. A 1% sales tax in Cobb would generate billions, and would fund an extensive and robust transit network in Cobb. A 1% tax in Taliaferro County would generate enough for a single bus stop.

If we're starting an entire new tax (yes it's a new tax for a new purpose), then we should REALLY make it progressive, and not regressive.

[primaltech]

You can't have the counties all choosing individually whether or not to do a 1% for transit. Especially around regional Atlanta. Because what if Cobb doesn't want to, but Cherokee does? The commuter trains aren't going to just skip Cobb County on their way to Atlanta. That would be ridiculous. Especially since a lot of the people in Cherokee probably work in Cobb.

There needs to be a statewide transit tax. Not county by county.

Then the different providers of that transit would be each metropolitan/regional area's equivalent of GRTA. (Or heck, maybe just make it all GRTA.)

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by primaltech

You can't have the counties all choosing individually whether or not to do a 1% for transit. Especially around regional Atlanta. Because what if Cobb doesn't want to, but Cherokee does? The commuter trains aren't going to just skip Cobb County on their way to Atlanta. That would be ridiculous. Especially since a lot of the people in Cherokee probably work in Cobb.

There needs to be a statewide transit tax. Not county by county.

Then the different providers of that transit would be each metropolitan/regional area's equivalent of GRTA. (Or heck, maybe just make it all GRTA.)

I progressive, not county by county.

For example, the state could reevaluate its income tax structure.

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

All we'll end up, if a single system is to run everything in the metro, is political gridlock as everyone tries to get funding for themselves. Suburbs will fight urban interests (as they already do) to bring more service, likely more than needed, out at the expense of core services. The urban core will fight (as they already do) to bring more service, likely more than needed, in at the expense of exurban services.

I have NO faith in this state to establish an agency with fair representation to the needs of its members.

Why is it SO awful to have two agencies acting as layers of service?

It's not, but I think one agency would be better, and I'm betting that's the direction they're going to go in with all of this.

And think about it this way: if Henry is also paying a 1% tax as Clayton is, then commuter rail trains can continue to the larger town of Hampton, rather than arbitrarily stopping at the smaller town of Lovejoy.

Trains can run to Newnan instead of just Palmetto. Gainesville instead of just Buford. And without the complication of different agencies serving certain stations, and running trains on the same lines, etc.

I'm all about minimalism and simplicity, and brand unification across the whole region, from Midtown to Canton. Yes, the 5 core counties have the population and the density, so they'd get all the heavy rail and light rail and local bus, in addition to commuter rail. And the other counties would just get park&ride commuter rail and express regional bus and whatever.

All one system, one plan, one infrastructure, everything.

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

I progressive, not county by county.

For example, the state could reevaluate its income tax structure.

Sorry, I didn't see your post there when I was writing mine. Was not in reply to yours.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by primaltech

It's not, but I think one agency would be better, and I'm betting that's the direction they're going to go in with all of this.

And think about it this way: if Henry is also paying a 1% tax as Clayton is, then commuter rail trains can continue to the larger town of Hampton, rather than arbitrarily stopping at the smaller town of Lovejoy.

Trains can run to Newnan instead of just Palmetto. Gainesville instead of just Buford. And without the complication of different agencies serving certain stations, and running trains on the same lines, etc.

I'm all about minimalism and simplicity, and brand unification across the whole region, from Midtown to Canton. Yes, the 5 core counties have the population and the density, so they'd get all the heavy rail and light rail and local bus, in addition to commuter rail. And the other counties would just get park&ride commuter rail and express regional bus and whatever.

All one system, one plan, one infrastructure, everything.

There's no reason that trains couldn't go as you say with a two-tiered system either. If there's a reason the regional agency couldn't go there, that reason would likely persist through any consolidated agency.

Originally Posted by primaltech

Sorry, I didn't see your post there when I was writing mine. Was not in reply to yours.

My mistake!

[primaltech]

In some cases, the HRT lines should extend beyond the 5 counties, like to Douglasville and Conyers both along I-20. Or to busy McFarland Pkwy in Forsyth along 400, instead of having to stop at Windward because of an arbitrary political boundary.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by primaltech

In some cases, the HRT lines should extend beyond the 5 counties, like to Douglasville and Conyers both along I-20. Or to busy McFarland Pkwy in Forsyth along 400, instead of having to stop at Windward because of an arbitrary political boundary.

Douglasville and Conyers would both be better served by regional commuter rail rather than Heavy Rail.

Forsyth could enter into a service agreement to extend heavy rail, or have regional rapid buses service the corridor, using the Windard Pkwy station as a launchpad.