The ATL: new regional transit system (Atlanta, Savannah: mall, peachtree, required)

[primaltech]

Yeah, what will probably happen is a transit tax referendum only in the Cumberland area, or maybe in parts of Six Flags/ South Cobb also. Areas where it would likely pass.

Which I guess would mean rapid/mass transit will only come into these areas.

But, ATL transit will still serve the whole county, just at a basic bus-only level in most of the county, funded by property tax. Today’s CobbLinc and Xpress service, combined, and maybe a little better.

The one thing I do like about the re-branding, is that it’s everything, not just MARTA.

[fieldm]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Yeah, what will probably happen is a transit tax referendum only in the Cumberland area, or maybe in parts of Six Flags/ South Cobb also. Areas where it would likely pass.

Which I guess would mean rapid/mass transit will only come into these areas.

But, ATL transit will still serve the whole county, just at a basic bus-only level in most of the county, funded by property tax. Today’s CobbLinc and Xpress service, combined, and maybe a little better.

The one thing I do like about the re-branding, is that it’s everything, not just MARTA.

That Six Flags stop would be huge

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by fieldm

That Six Flags stop would be huge

Yeah. With enough parking spaces it would basically serve all of Mableton/Austell/Powder Springs/Lithia Springs, and all of Douglas County. Plus of course connecting Six Flags amusement park to the urban core of the city.

Would be awesome. Not sure what will happen though.

[primaltech]

The first thing ATL should do, is replace the current MARTA map in the trains, with (a nicer version of) this map:



Just as a for starters, before the re-branding is complete and before new rail projects or whatever. It at least shows the regional nature of the system, with lines of different colors going in different directions.

Like an early version of what's to come. Where eventually some of these Xpress bus will be upgraded to light rail.

[primaltech]

Oh, and I was reading the bill a little more, and discovered something big:


1214 (2) The contract shall not authorize the construction of any extension of or addition to
1215 the authority's existing rapid rail system.


Which means that none of this business of counties (or special districts) contracting with MARTA as transit operator, will bring any MARTA heavy rail into Cobb or Gwinnett or anywhere else, unless those counties join MARTA. (Which strangely would now just be like an administrative difference, since everything would be branded ATL anyway.)

But in my reading it does not say that entering into a contract with MARTA precludes new light rail lines or commuter rail.

Anyway, what this means is that a new line to Cumberland will not be in the form of heavy rail. "Existing rapid rail system". And the Gold Line won't be getting any new stations in Gwinnett. And a station for Six Flags would have to be in Fulton County.

OK, turning off screen... Damn insomnia...

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Oh, and I was reading the bill a little more, and discovered something big:


1214 (2) The contract shall not authorize the construction of any extension of or addition to
1215 the authority's existing rapid rail system.


Which means that none of this business of counties (or special districts) contracting with MARTA as transit operator, will bring any MARTA heavy rail into Cobb or Gwinnett or anywhere else, unless those counties join MARTA. (Which strangely would now just be like an administrative difference, since everything would be branded ATL anyway.)

But in my reading it does not say that entering into a contract with MARTA precludes new light rail lines or commuter rail.

Anyway, what this means is that a new line to Cumberland will not be in the form of heavy rail. "Existing rapid rail system". And the Gold Line won't be getting any new stations in Gwinnett. And a station for Six Flags would have to be in Fulton County.

OK, turning off screen... Damn insomnia...

Is it really still that great?
There are so many layers to these bills, to mask the real intentions.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by FireStation46

NYC did this at the turn of the 20th century (IRT, IND, MABSTOS etc) all brought under the MTA over time


Atlanta looking at consolidation. One agency can have issues but herding all the cats may be a better way to go

Metro Atlanta transit funding: MARTA’s proposed solution | Spinning our Wheels

Ashe's solution doesn't sound like any change except for the state giving more $$s to the existing providers.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by primaltech

The first thing ATL should do, is replace the current MARTA map in the trains, with (a nicer version of) this map:



Just as a for starters, before the re-branding is complete and before new rail projects or whatever. It at least shows the regional nature of the system, with lines of different colors going in different directions.

Like an early version of what's to come. Where eventually some of these Xpress bus will be upgraded to light rail.

If some of these lines get extended outside 285, they could have stops in locations that would be convenient for Xpress buses to let off passengers who need to go places other than downtown (or wheverever the final destination of the Xpress bus is). Currently, the rail system is not reasonably accessible to the south and west metro.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Oh, and I was reading the bill a little more, and discovered something big:


1214 (2) The contract shall not authorize the construction of any extension of or addition to
1215 the authority's existing rapid rail system.


Which means that none of this business of counties (or special districts) contracting with MARTA as transit operator, will bring any MARTA heavy rail into Cobb or Gwinnett or anywhere else, unless those counties join MARTA. (Which strangely would now just be like an administrative difference, since everything would be branded ATL anyway.)

But in my reading it does not say that entering into a contract with MARTA precludes new light rail lines or commuter rail.

Anyway, what this means is that a new line to Cumberland will not be in the form of heavy rail. "Existing rapid rail system". And the Gold Line won't be getting any new stations in Gwinnett. And a station for Six Flags would have to be in Fulton County.

OK, turning off screen... Damn insomnia...

Not sure that is such a big deal. If they want it, they join instead of contracting.

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Is it really still that great?

Yes. Heck yes. This is about to be the single best thing that's happened with transit around Atlanta, since MARTA was approved over a half century ago.

This is about to be a 13-county transit system that goes where people live and work and want to go, instead of what has been for most of my life a very limited 2-county transit system, with a couple of other, even more limited transit systems in neighboring areas.

The day ATL is born, that's really the beginning of transit around here.