Georgia Senate panel recommends 'path forward' for regional transit (Atlanta: rent, school)

[SEAandATL]

Aside from the existing MARTA, every other form of transit should be built and maintained by private companies.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by SEAandATL

Aside from the existing MARTA, every other form of transit should be built and maintained by private companies.

Should be true of highways too.

[cqholt]

Bob Ott is the rep from Cobb County, already shaping up to be a disaster. He is anti-tax and anti-tax.
Bob Ott has been appointed to the new state commission to study Georgia’s public transit needs – River Edges

[arjay57]

If mass transit advocates could have anything they wanted, what would it be? And how would it be paid for?

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by arjay57

If mass transit advocates could have anything they wanted, what would it be? And how would it be paid for?

A level playing field with highways. Have both transit and highways paid directly by users and let passenger demand drive where we build lines.

Think some of the top places that would make sense are already in progress including the Beltline LRT. Northline extensions. But the big missing gap is commuter rail. That is a relatively affordable option that should be connecting in the suburbs in every direction.

[MikeHonchoATL]

Originally Posted by jsvh

A level playing field with highways. Have both transit and highways paid directly by users and let passenger demand drive where we build lines.

So $10 MARTA bus rides? Because that is about what that costs to produce.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by MikeHonchoATL

So $10 MARTA bus rides? Because that is about what that costs to produce.

Highways would cost you $10 or more to use if you have to pay the full cost, but the actual cost of an unconnected transit ride on MARTA is about $3. But I do think it should be distance based.

But private companies would get extra efficiencies. Back when Atlanta had dozens of privately operated transit lines crisscrossing the city, transit fares were a dime or about $1.50 with inflation.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Highways would cost you $10 or more to use if you have to pay the full cost....

That seems like a bundle. GA400 paid for itself (and a whole lot more) in 20 years with only a 50 cent toll.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by arjay57

That seems like a bundle. GA400 paid for itself (and a whole lot more) in 20 years with only a 50 cent toll.

Only a third of the tollway's full cost was paid by toll revenue bonds, the rest came from gas tax revenue.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Gulch

Only a third of the tollway's full cost was paid by toll revenue bonds, the rest came from gas tax revenue.

I didn't know that, Gulch. Do you have a citation for that? (Not challenging, just asking).

The toll brought in around $450 million.