What's the plausibility of building a light rail/monorail from Dunwoody to the Battery? (Atlanta: sales, transfer)

[2020's YouTube Vlog]

I enjoy visiting the Battery/Truist park but during game day getting to that area is a real pain (leaving is too, but there's less of a rush to leave than get there and see the first pitch so I would wait for the crowds to disperse before getting an uber, and by then traffic in the immediate area is clearer), whether by driving or by ride share. The traffic is ridiculous.

I was thinking if there was a way to build a train line on 285, like MARTA on 400 above Buckhead, or maybe some sort of light rail/monorail on the streets off the highway from Dunwoody to the Battery. That way, people from intown could take MARTA up to Dunwoody and then to the Battery, and those who live in North Fulton/ Gwinnett could park at North Springs and take MARTA down to Dunwoody and then over to the Battery.

I'd prefer a real train, but realize that it might take forever to build, probably would have a ton of resistance and there's a lot in that area already (construction and traffic on 285 is bad as it is without such a project) so I figure that a monorail/light rail of some sort (similar to what Seattle has at the Westlake mall going to he space needle and museums) from Dunwoody to the Battery could be done?

I think it would help create some sort of option to not have to drive in the area to go to the game, and it could possibly be built more easily than a whole new train line/ MARTA extension from Dunwoody.

Of course, as I mentioned, it would be preferable to expand MARTA, but I'm trying to be realistic with this idea and would rather have something than nothing at all.

[Datdudebrah]

Anything is feasible with money, but there's not political will to build big rail projects like that here.

There is an ongoing effort to add bus transit to the GDOT I-285 top end express lanes though which will somewhat serve this purpose.

https://capitol-beat.org/2023/06/atl...p-end-transit/

[ggplicks]

the best this region can do is put red paint on a street and call it BRT. The emory corridor (which is a high income, dense, economically viable area) can't even get light rail. I don't see another inch of rail being built in this region.

[ShenardL]

The best location for the Battery would've been Doraville, where the former GM plant used to be with direct access to a Marta station. Now there's a big movie studio there: https://www.ajc.com/life/radiotvtalk...AURANK7VVMT2M/

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by ShenardL

The best location for the Battery would've been Doraville, where the former GM plant used to be with direct access to a Marta station. Now there's a big movie studio there: https://www.ajc.com/life/radiotvtalk...AURANK7VVMT2M/

That’s what I thought!! Putting a movie studio was so disrespectful they will not utilize that subway station in the way that it deserves. Movie studios are industrial and frankly industrial sites shouldn’t get put on subway stations because they 9/10 times lack the demand. A good direct bus routes sure but often aren’t worth rail investment. Unless of course your system is so dense and urban the ridership is already using the system heavily, in cities like Chicago and NYC.

Also good luck getting Cobb to go for Marta. They are the second highest ridership for transit after MARTA (yes even more than Gwinnett despite Gwinnett having a lot more people) so they should be getting the priority on transit expansions outside the current Fulton/Dekalb/Clayton but the opposite will hopen

[jetgraphics]

The biggest hurdle to any rail based transit is the government.

Instead of seeking government subsidy, simply STOP taxing it.
Give a tax exemption to all enterprises associated with private rail mass transit.
Private capital will flood in, and without the administrative overhead of taxes, it will get built far faster.

[primaltech]

Yeah, this whole topic. I find the idea of BRT from Dunwoody pretty boring as a transit solution for that area, and they're probably not even going to do that right.

Whatever's gonna happen or not is gonna happen or not, but IMO, Cobb County should raise their 1 penny for 30 years sales tax for transit on the 2024 ballot next November (as they are talking about doing), and not necessarily join MARTA, but enter into a contract with MARTA to extend the Green Line heavy rail to Cumberland Mall (on the north side of the mall, next to 41 and the pedestrian bridge to the Galleria), and the Blue Line heavy rail to Six Flags (Six Flags Pkwy just south of I-20). So, these would be their new Cumberland Transit Center hub, and their South Cobb Transit Center hub, respectively. Just hear me out on this:

-MARTA has already ordered brand new, sleek, really nice modern replacement trains, with all the nice features, which would be in full operation by the time the new stations opened. Cobb could/should be smart and take advantage of this.

-MARTA already plans to extend the Green Line to the full 4 car length trains, and run it to Avondale, and they also are planning a total revamp and nice TOD redevelopment of the existing Bankhead station (which could easily be renamed to Hollowell station, or something like that). And both of the lines would use the existing Avondale Yard for maintenance.

-Five Points MARTA station is already planned to get a full revamp, and both of these lines would have an easy single transfer there, down to the airport and up to Midtown/Buckhead.

-Vine City station (which is on both lines) has that pedestrian bridge connecting directly to the Mercedes Benz stadium. The Green Line would connect the Braves, Falcons, United, and Hawks. And maybe a future NHL team at State Farm Arena.

-There's the whole Centennial Yards development going on, which will be all part of a big destination connected to that west line.

-Decatur and in-town areas would have a direct connection to the Braves. And if they are ever able to do a Krog St infill station right on the east Beltline, that would be a great thing to be connected on the same rail line as the Braves.

-There would/could be no construction disruption at the Battery. They should use the opportunity to remake Cumberland mall into a new generation mixed use Avalon type thing, with high rises and mid rises, maybe with the roof of it torn off, all transit oriented and nicely integrated into the MARTA station, which would also support the 285 BRT, 41 BRT and bus routes up into Cobb, Xpress routes from the exurbs, etc.

-The Galleria could also be redeveloped and modernized, more high rises added, etc. Both the Galleria and the Battery/Truist Park would be ready to go and integrated to the MARTA station via already existing pedestrian bridges, over Cobb Pkwy and I-285.

-The Six Flags/South Cobb station could also be a good TOD opportunity. There's a huge surface parking lot across the street that could be redeveloped into a thing. Plus an event center that's already there, plus of course Six Flags. And the commuter parking decks would be there and all that. Access for all of South Cobb's buses, etc.

-There would be space for infill stations that could always be funded later by City of Atlanta and etc. Maybe even P3 type funding mechanisms for companies that want to build nice TOD campuses.

[wlouisharris2000]

I think little chance it happens in the next 30 years. Hopefully the bus lanes will help. I'm not sure if they are adding express lanes on 285, but the toll lanes have been popular. If you drive those routes a lot; it's worth the money. As far as the Battery in Doraville, Dekalb county from what I hear is kind of a mess with taxes already. Cobb IMO is a better for doing business IMO. They really should have a train run from Midtown up through Cumberland and up to Marietta, but Cobb isn't going to partner with MARTA with the way the mis-manage funds.

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by Datdudebrah

Anything is feasible with money, but there's not political will to build big rail projects like that here.

There is an ongoing effort to add bus transit to the GDOT I-285 top end express lanes though which will somewhat serve this purpose.

https://capitol-beat.org/2023/06/atl...p-end-transit/

Yeah, that's the plan. Similar to 400.

Originally Posted by ggplicks

the best this region can do is put red paint on a street and call it BRT. The emory corridor (which is a high income, dense, economically viable area) can't even get light rail. I don't see another inch of rail being built in this region.

With the exception of the Streetcar East extension.

[rickms55]

The fact that so much money was spent and work done on the asinine express lane adjacent to 75 instead of using the right of way for at least BRT is another example of that rail ain't happening in Cobb.