Design Your Own MARTA Expansion (Atlanta, Marietta: day care, middle school, airports)

[bu2]

Originally Posted by cqholt

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.

Its not going to be in exclusive ROW from Clairmont to Avondale. At least, if it is, it will be taking away traffic lanes. All the plans I've seen have it in the streets.

If you stay in the station, 5 Points isn't that bad. If they get on in Decatur, they will have to transfer twice-and it will be slower. I wouldn't be surprised if those people are simply justifying not riding it. Ideal would have been an extension of the green line by connecting all the way to Avondale (or East Lake or Decatur).

[tonygeorgia]

Originally Posted by cqholt

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.

Bingo. Imagine how all of this would improve the city to include the beltline and the streetcar

[toll_booth]

Ugh. Not good.

[bryantm3]

now that this thread's back up, here's some ideas i have for expanding the lines south of the airport station— since clayton county recently voted (nonbinding) to have marta, this may be a possibility soon.

Hapeville Line - Google Maps

[cqholt]

now that this thread's back up, here's some ideas i have for expanding the lines south of the airport station— since clayton county recently voted (nonbinding) to have marta, this may be a possibility soon.

Would be great, since there is a high number of non-car owners in Clayton County, but I think this line would be implemented as a Commuter Rail, its cheaper and the federal funds already exist. GDOT just needs to get off their ass.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Would be great, since there is a high number of non-car owners in Clayton County, but I think this line would be implemented as a Commuter Rail, its cheaper and the federal funds already exist. GDOT just needs to get off their ass.

Do you just willfully ignore the fiscal situation of these organizations or are you completely ignorant to the facts?

It really has to be one or the other because the amount of rail infrastructure you propose building is completely unrealistic with the financial resources of these organizations.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Would be great, since there is a high number of non-car owners in Clayton County, but I think this line would be implemented as a Commuter Rail, its cheaper and the federal funds already exist. GDOT just needs to get off their ass.

commuter rail is okay for long distances, but to jonesboro it's only ~14 miles. the north rail line goes farther than that and is going to be expanded soon. i think commuter rail is great for exurbs and regional cities like forsyth, rome, newnan, etc., but this is close in enough that heavy rail is a viable option.

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

Do you just willfully ignore the fiscal situation of these organizations or are you completely ignorant to the facts?

It really has to be one or the other because the amount of rail infrastructure you propose building is completely unrealistic with the financial resources of these organizations.

if GDOT has enough money to propose building a $3 billion tunnel under midtown atlanta, i'm sure they have enough money to build a 10 mile rail line. the problem is that the people in charge in the state are averse to anything that doesn't involve pavement.

[cqholt]

Do you just willfully ignore the fiscal situation of these organizations or are you completely ignorant to the facts?

It really has to be one or the other because the amount of rail infrastructure you propose building is completely unrealistic with the financial resources of these organizations.

Why are you attacking me? This thread is just for fun! I was just saying that money exist for a Commuter Rail line in the same corridor and if Georgia doesn't use it soon the feds will take it back. I proposed it because for fiscal reasons and that federal funds already exist. Damn!

[bu2]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

commuter rail is okay for long distances, but to jonesboro it's only ~14 miles. the north rail line goes farther than that and is going to be expanded soon. i think commuter rail is great for exurbs and regional cities like forsyth, rome, newnan, etc., but this is close in enough that heavy rail is a viable option.

Originally Posted by bryantm3

if GDOT has enough money to propose building a $3 billion tunnel under midtown atlanta, i'm sure they have enough money to build a 10 mile rail line. the problem is that the people in charge in the state are averse to anything that doesn't involve pavement.

There definitely needs to be something, whether it be more park-n-rides with HOV or HOT lanes, or rail to the South Metro. There is a lot of traffic going to the airport and to downtown. Fayette, Henry and Clayton don't have many options other than to drive. With MARTA ending at the airport, it really is unusuable for those in that area. On the North side, employment is much more spread. There are more people, but they are going in different directions.

The point about the commuter rail funding is a good one. But the commuter rail won't serve the airport which is a hub of many trips. I wonder how a shorter MARTA extension (around 5 miles) to the vicinity of Southlake Mall would work.

This IS a "design your own" thread. It isn't insisting on something that will be done in the next 10 years.

[cqholt]

I totally agree with you that the Southside is suffering from a lack of transit options. Clayton County voters approved a non-binding MARTA vote. Once they approve the 1 cent sales tax for MARTA, then plans for a rail-line to Clayton County can be explored. I am still thinking on how and where to create a Southside HRT line for my map.