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In terms of the areas it goes to, I can see why someone would call it a joke. Ideally it would extend into the suburbs and have more lines throughout the more urban areas of the city.
Austin is going to implode and will suffer major QOL issues if it doesn't manage its growth. On one hand, it's trying to be like Las Vegas (toursity, convention city with lots of events). On the other hand, you have a real estate cartel that has been pumping up the city's "awesomeness" to all corners of the country. "Come on down! We're the most livable city in the country!" Then throw in extreme NIMBYism from neighborhoods that prevent any higher density, mixed used developments and you have a recipe for disaster.
Given the size of the Atlanta Metro; MARTA is BEYOND underwhelming. You have MUCH smaller cities like Denver and Portland basically surpassing or soon to surpass your transit ridership.
Also Atlanta has one of the lowest transit ridership rates in the USA.
By comparison, SEPTA (which SEPA and Metro Atlanta are nearly identical in population; this is not including S. NJ nor DE) does more than double Atlanta in terms of ridership and the agency just approved another $1 Billion dollar expansion. I think Atlanta is having some major growing pains because it lacks adequate transit infrastructure.
Now if the U.S invested as much money in transit as we did highways; we would have the best transit system in the world. HSR EVERYWHERE. And the whole notion of car ownership would just seem silly for many Americans. (The auto industry though destroyed transit largely in the 40s/50s; as well as a few other interests and the sprawling suburbia mess we have now is many thanks to them).
Last edited by rowhomecity; 02-06-2018 at 12:22 PM..
I think all American cities need it... haven’t driven in most of these cities but I’m surprised Miami isn’t as high as it is. SE Florida is its own fun and game on the roads... crazy drivers and lots of traffic.
Given the size of the Atlanta Metro; MARTA is BEYOND underwhelming. You have MUCH smaller cities like Denver and Portland basically surpassing or soon to surpass your transit ridership.
Also Atlanta has one of the lowest transit ridership rates in the USA.
By comparison, SEPTA (which SEPA and Metro Atlanta are nearly identical in population; this is not including S. NJ nor DE) does more than double Atlanta in terms of ridership and the agency just approved another $1 Billion dollar expansion. I think Atlanta is having some major growing pains because it lacks adequate transit infrastructure.
Now if the U.S invested as much money in transit as we did highways; we would have the best transit system in the world. HSR EVERYWHERE. And the whole notion of car ownership would just seem silly for many Americans. (The auto industry though destroyed transit largely in the 40s/50s; as well as a few other interests and the sprawling suburbia mess we have now is many thanks to them).
The Difference between Atlanta and the Philly area is Atlanta is in Georgia, point blank... Delaware valley is much more open mined when it comes to Transit, that's both Politically and the way people think of Transit. Philly/South Jersey and Delaware is on a different level in that department...The south seems to be a hard sell when it comes to transit anyway.. That tends to keep Cities like Atlanta, Nashville, and Charlotte behind no matter how progressive they may get.
The Difference between Atlanta and the Philly area is Atlanta is in Georgia, point blank... Delaware valley is much more open mined when it comes to Transit, that's both Politically and the way people think of Transit. Philly/South Jersey and Delaware is on a different level in that department...The south seems to be a hard sell when it comes to transit anyway.. That tends to keep Cities like Atlanta, Nashville, and Charlotte behind no matter how progressive they may get.
Yes well Pennsylvania most notably funds SEPTA (Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority). I was really impressed in 2013 Pennsylvania passed a bi - partisan transportation bill called Act 89, it was the largest funding increase in transportation in decades and a LARGE portion of the funds was dedicated to transit. The bill was signed by a Republican governor and had support on both sides of the aisle. It takes a great deal of political commitment to get a state to sign off on something like this. PA now has the #1 or #2 highest gas taxes in the nation. (which in my mind the extra $100 or so a year is worth it).
For full disclosure and fairness, the city of Atlanta passed a tax in 2016 to fund a major transit expansion within the city limits. The metro area as a whole, however, is in desperate need of transit.
when Roswell in Altanta votes against and wants to do BRT when heavy rail would be way more effective.
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