Keith Parker's next step for MARTA? (Atlanta, Roswell: how much, home, utilities)

[arjay57]

If I were Parker I'd be working on partnerships with big companies like Home Depot, which relies heavily on transit.

[arc-lang]

It would be nice if MARTA could work out a deal with Cobb County to build one light rail stop at the Braves New Stadium or at least Cumberland Mall. Since the Mall area already does a daily business as impressive as Lenox Mall, it would be easily self sustainable. This would be a compromise for MARTA and Cobb. It would allow Cobb to see the positive affects of MARTA, without committing to large expansion funding right away.

[onemanarmy]

Originally Posted by arc-lang

It would be nice if MARTA could work out a deal with Cobb County to build one light rail stop at the Braves New Stadium or at least Cumberland Mall. Since the Mall area already does a daily business as impressive as Lenox Mall, it would be easily self sustainable. This would be a compromise for MARTA and Cobb. It would allow Cobb to see the positive affects of MARTA, without committing to large expansion funding right away.

Sure if Cobb foots the bill, maybe the can add to a new Braves funding and set the vote for the Tuesday after Labor Day. . I think Cobb is long over due for Transit to it's business center, I think it's the 1% sales tax that would not pass the sniff test with their voters. The only way to do get tax increases in the county is to do it secretively without a vote. I'm not sure which is worst.

[arc-lang]

Originally Posted by onemanarmy

Sure if Cobb foots the bill, maybe the can add to a new Braves funding and set the vote for the Tuesday after Labor Day. . I think Cobb is long over due for Transit to it's business center, I think it's the 1% sales tax that would not pass the sniff test with their voters. The only way to do get tax increases in the county is to do it secretively without a vote. I'm not sure which is worst.

The thing is Cobb would never foot the bill for even a light rail stop at the new stadium, but ironically they are going to have to spend more money later on down the road when their traffic problems become to massive to ignore. Right now all of Cobb's plans, funding aside, call for adding more vehicle infrastructure, which is just not going to help the problem. But yeah maybe Liberty Media can pay for a light rail line to the stadium, as a gift to residents of Cobb County. I mean since they are so confident they are going to get $400 million and some change from private investors for the initial stages of this mixed use development, maybe they can hit up a Saudi Prince or two who might be interested in investing in their grand vision.

[Mal93]

Originally Posted by BackInATL2011

I wish for a special branded/painted/and nicknamed route with a long bus (the long busses that resemble mini trains that are common in other cities, like the Bay area metro) that would run up and down Peachtree Street so those who steer away from buses normally would be more attracted to it.

When I was a kid we took a "double bus" to the Fulton County Library after school to wait for our parents to pick us up. It was like 2 chassis connected by an accordian (of course bold kids would dare each other to "ride the middle" as the bus turned corners. Are there any modern day versions of this running in ATL currently? I haven't seen them in forever.

I don't understand the bus stigma (vs streetcar or even train). Is it because the bus can be slowwww or because of an economic status/unsafe perception? I know some routes are very long/convoluted--I'm lucky that I could catch the bus every ~10 mins then its 10-15 mins to the station. The status stigma doesn't make sense to me as the same people on the bus can get on the train.


At any rate, MARTA has come a very long way from my childhood days. The new buses look sharp & seem much quieter, too!

[MattCW]

While I like most of the answers, I'm afraid most of them rely more heavily on external factors than the recent schedule changes did. The Clayton, Red and I-20 East expansions largely rely on other people, or other sources of funding. That's why I listed the bus improvements. I was really looking for ideas wholly confined to changes within MARTA itself, though I think the other stuff is great.

[AcidSnake]

I certainly hope so.

I would hate for it to be the case that the State is creating a incredibly high bar for MARTA to surpass, and once this agency does that...for the state to simply take that bar to such extremes that it is no longer surpassable.

I have ZERO trust for the people at the Capitol to do right by metro Atlanta these days.

Originally Posted by tikigod311

Well, the legislature has been praising him, so it may not be too far away.

[MathmanMathman]

Open up all the restrooms with extended hours.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by arjay57

If I were Parker I'd be working on partnerships with big companies like Home Depot, which relies heavily on transit.

How does Home Depot rely heavily on transit?

[magnetar]

Originally Posted by onemanarmy

Sure if Cobb foots the bill, maybe the can add to a new Braves funding and set the vote for the Tuesday after Labor Day. .

Seriously, could you imagine the outcry if the Cobb commission had unanimously approved $400m in tax dollars to fund a $650m light rail line? Priorities are kind of sad.