Design Your Own MARTA Expansion (Decatur, Hapeville: distances, charge, cheaper)

[cqholt]

I've been thinking on the routing of extending HRT south via Hapeville to Clayton County. Just can't think if it should be commuter rail or HRT?

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by cqholt

I've been thinking on the routing of extending HRT south via Hapeville to Clayton County. Just can't think if it should be commuter rail or HRT?

it depends on how far it's going— if it's only going to clayton county, building commuter rail seems kind of silly because of the short distance.

i know i'm against light rail in a lot of the places they've proposed, but it seems like it's a good idea for this corridor.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

it depends on how far it's going— if it's only going to clayton county, building commuter rail seems kind of silly because of the short distance.

i know i'm against light rail in a lot of the places they've proposed, but it seems like it's a good idea for this corridor.

I'm not a big fan of light rail connecting to the existing HRT system on the periphery like this (or into Cobb or Gwinnett). I'd rather just extend the HRT system at the higher cost if the distance is short (5-7 miles), or make a commuter rail like 15-20 miles that can later be extended further out. I think the likelihood of people riding a light rail line, then transferring to HRT is low. I think it is higher if it is a commuter rail line with few stops. LRT average speeds are surprisingly slow in most cities and I don't think the ride time in town would be reasonable enough to draw many riders. I know the cost would be much more, but I would support those moves. I'd rather spend more and get the system done correctly than to settle for a, still very expensive, half-assed expansion. Of course, the $$$ would be the issue.

[mike7586]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

I'm not a big fan of light rail connecting to the existing HRT system on the periphery like this (or into Cobb or Gwinnett). I'd rather just extend the HRT system at the higher cost if the distance is short (5-7 miles), or make a commuter rail like 15-20 miles that can later be extended further out. I think the likelihood of people riding a light rail line, then transferring to HRT is low. I think it is higher if it is a commuter rail line with few stops. LRT average speeds are surprisingly slow in most cities and I don't think the ride time in town would be reasonable enough to draw many riders. I know the cost would be much more, but I would support those moves. I'd rather spend more and get the system done correctly than to settle for a, still very expensive, half-assed expansion. Of course, the $$$ would be the issue.

Agreed, and light rail is better for short trips/inter-city transit (like The Beltline). Heavy rail or commuter rail is better for long haul trips/suburbs.

[cqholt]

i know i'm against light rail in a lot of the places they've proposed, but it seems like it's a good idea for this corridor.

Clayton County would have a higher ridership due to low car ownership in that county. Thank y'all for the input. I will make the extension and post the new map.

[bryantm3]

okay, i've worked on this a bit more. not much except what's already been proposed, along with a highway 9 streetcar.

Bryant's MARTA ideas - Google Maps

[scpatl4now]

I read in the AJC that the recommendation for the Lindbergh to Avondale line will be LRT. I'm kind of surprised since everything I had heard to this point was HRT most of the way with LRT at the end. I looked for an online link but it was in the print edition of todays AJC. They said neighborhood input was a major reason

[cqholt]

It sucks that HRT is being extended, but I think LRT will do good in this corridor due to the limit of dense development in the corridor. LRT allows the line to conect to the Red/Gold and Blue lines, while HRT would have ended at North Decatur.

[bu2]

Now I don't like any of the rail proposals in the TSPLOST. They are taking clogged roads and putting light rail in them to totally shut down traffic. And this light rail is primarily just transfer traffic from Avondale and Lindberg (along with some Emory circulator service). With the heavy rail they got more point to point travel w/o transfers. With the tunnels, the light rail will be pretty expensive for light rail from Emory to Lindberg. And how many people will be travelling that full stretch? Its mostly going to be from Avondale (and interim stops) to Emory and Lindberg (and interim stops) to Emory. So it isn't really important that you have 1 technology over that stretch.

I think they should have done HRT now to N. Decatur, express bus to Avondale and spent the money later to extend HRT all the way to Avondale.

If you look up Clifton Corridor, Marta has a short description of the proposal which will be presented to one committe on March 26 and the board on April 9. No public comment is allowed at the 1st meeting, so I take it the decision is pretty much final. April 9 will be a rubber stamp.

[cqholt]

hey are taking clogged roads and putting light rail in them to totally shut down traffic

The LRT will be in exclusive ROW. There was still going to be transferred involved in the Clifton Corridor extension. Most likely the Gold Line would have had to been feed into the Clifton Corridor because of alignment at Lindbergh and MARTA's Armor Yard. LRT will increase usage how the entire system. I know people who live near Avondale and Decatur that won't use MARTA to commute to work because they don't want to have to change trains at Five Points. This will allow users going from Decatur and east that need to get north of Midtown the option of taking the Clifton LRT instead of changing at Five Points.