Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The "but" being that they built it through the areas easiest to access and not especially where people want to go. That's my understanding anyway. I've ridden it and like it a lot, but it has one of the lowest ridership levels per mile in the US.
DFW area rail hits most major employment corridors other than the DNT corridor which the Silver Line will somewhat connect people to when it opens and airport access. DART expanding it's rail to connect more inner city areas would be helpful, but even if Dallas had a rail network like some legacy systems, there's still a level of snobbery toward public transit around here and would probably not pull super high numbers. Some other sunbelt areas have higher ridership numbers, but there are probably certain socioeconomic factors that play into that.
DFW area rail hits most major employment corridors other than the DNT corridor which the Silver Line will somewhat connect people to when it opens and airport access. DART expanding it's rail to connect more inner city areas would be helpful, but even if Dallas had a rail network like some legacy systems, there's still a level of snobbery toward public transit around here and would probably not pull super high numbers. Some other sunbelt areas have higher ridership numbers, but there are probably certain socioeconomic factors that play into that.
I still suspect, as others have said here (and I alluded to in passing in my prior comment about this system), that its configuration hampers it more than any socioeconomic, demographic or cultural factors do (which is not to say that those factors don't).
Cleveland's Red Line, the one heavy rapid transit line opened in between the First (1897-1940) and Second (1969-1983) Subway Eras, has the same handicap: It used a mainline railroad corridor that nearly hits the places it should hit but doesn't serve them exactly (e.g., University Circle or anywhere along Euclid Avenue). I know DART serves CityPlace (with its only underground station so far, which is about to change with the construction of the D2 downtown subway), but the rail lines it follows don't really hit the center of the various destinations people want to go to (e.g., the D2 project will also move Deep Ellum station closer to the district it's meant to serve). Given how far most people want to walk (note how the spaces further than 1/4 mile from the shopping mall entrance remain empty at all but the busiest times?), a near-miss may as well be not serving the area at all.
San Diego got lucky with its first modern light rail line in that the railroad right-of-way it used actually led to a terminus lots of people wanted to go to. But the lines it's built since don't utilize railroad rights-of-way unless they actually serve the areas they want to serve.
Atlanta Marta best rail system outside Northeast & Chicago
Quote:
Originally Posted by SEAandATL
I used to use it regularly when I lived in Sandy Springs and worked in Downtown (right by Peachtree Center), but haven't since moving to North Marietta.
I gave up on commuting via riding the GRTA bus system from Jonesboro on into Midtown every work day after using that bus system for 5 years. The traffic was getting slower going incrementally by every year and GRTA was about to make major overhauls of their route structure and trip timetables so I opted out of that method of commuting.
Thankfully I had Marta available as an option so I switched over to where I drove 12 miles to the East Point Marta Station and took it into Arts Center Station and just walked up the hill to Colony Square and work.
And if I hadn't already retired, I would still be using Marta for my commuting.
Apparently that one posting person never met folks like those of us who have just spoken up in the more recent posts. Trust me, it's not just the disadvantaged who ride mass transit in Atlanta.
FYI: Even now in retirement I always drive to the East Point Marta Station for when I have doctoring visits scheduled with my M.D. who is in Midtown 1&1/2 blocks from Midtown Station as well as when I have Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert tickets at the Woodruff Center located just barely up the hill from the Arts Center Station.
I would be putting it mildly to say that "Marta still works for my situation.", even in retirement.
And they have a really swell thing going for seniors who can ride for a dollar. I love that! Obviously they want to keep us seniors as customers!
I’ve always said Atlanta should focus on expanding transit within their own city limits. There are very few walkable places outside the perimeter and the places inside need last mile options. MARTA is good as a backbone but now we need to focus on connections within the city. Clayton deserves its rail as they went out of their way to craft a deal for it, but I don’t care what happens in Cobb and Gwinnett. They can find their own solutions at this point.
I gave up on commuting via riding the GRTA bus system from Jonesboro on into Midtown every work day after using that bus system for 5 years. The traffic was getting slower going incrementally by every year and GRTA was about to make major overhauls of their route structure and trip timetables so I opted out of that method of commuting.
Thankfully I had Marta available as an option so I switched over to where I drove 12 miles to the East Point Marta Station and took it into Arts Center Station and just walked up the hill to Colony Square and work.
And if I hadn't already retired, I would still be using Marta for my commuting.
Apparently that one posting person never met folks like those of us who have just spoken up in the more recent posts. Trust me, it's not just the disadvantaged who ride mass transit in Atlanta.
FYI: Even now in retirement I always drive to the East Point Marta Station for when I have doctoring visits scheduled with my M.D. who is in Midtown 1&1/2 blocks from Midtown Station as well as when I have Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert tickets at the Woodruff Center located just barely up the hill from the Arts Center Station.
I would be putting it mildly to say that "Marta still works for my situation.", even in retirement.
And they have a really swell thing going for seniors who can ride for a dollar. I love that! Obviously they want to keep us seniors as customers!
Funny we're all discussing driving to the closest MARTA station, from some suburban part of Atlanta. I remember too well when my family would drive from about Jonesboro(close to where my grandmother lived) north to College Park, and from there catch the MARTA train into Atlanta. Since even back in the 90s and 2000s, my family always LONG dreaded how damn awful traffic is near downtown Atlanta. It just sucks that MARTA rail doesn't cover a lot of places, beyond the 'perimeter'.
Years ago, Clayton County had a bus system called C-Tran. At some point that was discontinued, then Clayton decided to become a MARTA supporting county. So at least some MARTA bus routes, do head south into Clayton now. I just wonder how good the bus service is, between Jonesboro and other popular parts of Clayton Cty.(i.e. near Mount Zion Road, and all the shops around there)? I fear the bus schedule and routes running are limited enough, that it still might be better to drive if you're visiting someone in Clayton County, or want to travel to other nearby suburban areas. But who knows?
Funny we're all discussing driving to the closest MARTA station, from some suburban part of Atlanta. I remember too well when my family would drive from about Jonesboro(close to where my grandmother lived) north to College Park, and from there catch the MARTA train into Atlanta. Since even back in the 90s and 2000s, my family always LONG dreaded how damn awful traffic is near downtown Atlanta. It just sucks that MARTA rail doesn't cover a lot of places, beyond the 'perimeter'.
Years ago, Clayton County had a bus system called C-Tran. At some point that was discontinued, then Clayton decided to become a MARTA supporting county. So at least some MARTA bus routes, do head south into Clayton now. I just wonder how good the bus service is, between Jonesboro and other popular parts of Clayton Cty.(i.e. near Mount Zion Road, and all the shops around there)? I fear the bus schedule and routes running are limited enough, that it still might be better to drive if you're visiting someone in Clayton County, or want to travel to other nearby suburban areas. But who knows?
Seems to me that, aside from that clearly inaccurate statement (and that old joke) about who actually rides MARTA, thie chief knock on MARTA rapid transit closely mirrors the chief knock against the rapid transit system SEPTA operates in Philadelphia:
It's basically a "backbone" system consisting of an east-west and a north-south spine line, with the former having a short spur on its west side and the latter splitting in two south of the city center, with one branch going to the airport.
I know that the big push now in Atlanta is for a light-rail "beltline" around the city using a former railroad right-of-way, but as in Philly, I'm sure Atlanta would benefit from some infill lines that branch off the spine (Philadelphia was supposed to have several of these, but save for one to the northeast, none of those were built).
The fact that several counties that actively resisted MARTA are now willing to either join it or have its trains serve them says to me a lot about how Atlantans are warming up to their transit system.
Seems to me that, aside from that clearly inaccurate statement (and that old joke) about who actually rides MARTA, thie chief knock on MARTA rapid transit closely mirrors the chief knock against the rapid transit system SEPTA operates in Philadelphia:
It's basically a "backbone" system consisting of an east-west and a north-south spine line, with the former having a short spur on its west side and the latter splitting in two south of the city center, with one branch going to the airport.
I know that the big push now in Atlanta is for a light-rail "beltline" around the city using a former railroad right-of-way, but as in Philly, I'm sure Atlanta would benefit from some infill lines that branch off the spine (Philadelphia was supposed to have several of these, but save for one to the northeast, none of those were built).
The fact that several counties that actively resisted MARTA are now willing to either join it or have its trains serve them says to me a lot about how Atlantans are warming up to their transit system.
I voted Los Angeles, however.
I agree. MARTA forms a good backbone that would really benefit from a much better supporting bus and commuter/light rail network, which Philly has.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Atlanta Marta best rail system outside Northeast & Chicago
I remember too well when my family would drive from about Jonesboro(close to where my grandmother lived) north to College Park, and from there catch the MARTA train into Atlanta. Since even back in the 90s and 2000s, my family always LONG dreaded how damn awful traffic is near downtown Atlanta. It just sucks that MARTA rail doesn't cover a lot of places, beyond the 'perimeter'.
