ATLANTA TRANSIT (Marta, Beltline, Peachtree Streetcar, LovJoy Commuter, etc...)

[1lifealex]

some of you complain about the Atlanta streetcar read this about the Dallas streetcar http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2014/04/oak_cliffs_streetcar_nights_weekend.php

[echinatl]

Originally Posted by 1lifealex

some of you complain about the Atlanta streetcar read this about the Dallas streetcar http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2014/04/oak_cliffs_streetcar_nights_weekend.php

I think we did this right. I work downtown and a lot of co workers are excited to be able to get from Centennial to the Auburn Curb Market. I think you're going to see very packed street cars, in the begining at least. I'm personally going to be using it at least once a week.

[mikecolley]

Installing the sign for the new Buckhead Marta Station north entrance.

[MNT]

Originally Posted by echinatl

I think we did this right. I work downtown and a lot of co workers are excited to be able to get from Centennial to the Auburn Curb Market. I think you're going to see very packed street cars, in the begining at least. I'm personally going to be using it at least once a week.

I'm new to Atlanta and am moving soon to a new place on the east side; I've been riding MARTA to downtown Decatur, midtown, Buckhead and other areas and have gone downtown but seen all there is to see within walking distance — the streetcar is going to open that up so much. People seem to complain a lot about its small size, but there's a lot to do within that small area, and it ends up making MARTA even more useful as a transit system. The buy-in Atlanta gets when its residents experience the downtown streetcar is going to help generate the will to get the rest of the system built.

[atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by 1lifealex

some of you complain about the Atlanta streetcar read this about the Dallas streetcar http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2014/04/oak_cliffs_streetcar_nights_weekend.php

Not a good argument for Atlanta's streetcar. Oakcliff to Dallas is not filled with thousand of college students, tourist attractions or professional workers Downtown Atlanta like me. As a professional worker in the 191 tower, I plan to use the Atlanta streetcar for lunch to the Grady curb market.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by mikecolley

Installing the sign for the new Buckhead Marta Station north entrance.

Nice. This will give all those folks in Post Stratford, Skyhouse, Alliance, etc., great access to the train.

[netdragon]

So the Cobb Commissioners announced plans to discuss the dedicated-lane BRT in Cobb County for the upcoming SPLOST http://mdjonline.com/view/full_story/249...ed-BRT-system-might-be-funded-by-SPLOST?



This is not your BRT system. It's basically a light-weight LRT. It has dedicated lanes and transit signal priority. It was actually something that came about through studies and the Cobb 2040 CTP process, that I've been a part of and is run by citizen groups and corporations that use actual needs-based analysis and sound information to make decisions on what is needed for the county. Not politics.

Of course, right away, morons like this "X is wrong for Cobb County" guy (every article of his is the same when it comes to transit discussions) come out of the woodwork: http://mdjonline.com/bookmark/25087457-Bus-Rapid-Transit-is-the-wrong-answer-for-Cobb. He wrote an almost identical article about the BRT in the T-Splost referendum in 2013: http://www.mdjonline.com/pages/full_stor...bb-s+transportation+needs%20&id=23612203

I wish these guys would just put everyone out of their misery and move to Cherokee county, Forsyth, or Paulding counties where they belong.

[netdragon]

Candidates running for county commissioner positions are taking the "safe" position of "No" for Cobb BRT. Safe in that they imagine it will get them into office, but lacking vision, foresight, and dooming Cobb County to continue to be surpassed by other parts of the North metro.

http://mdjonline.com/view/full_story/249...-candidates--say-no-SPLOST-money-for-BRT

[netdragon]

And the numbers... The cost was reduced from 1.1 billion to 494 million by eliminating some grade separations and using the signalling instead to let it bypass intersections.

Quote from the article:

$494 million: The total cost of the proposed bus-rapid transit system connecting Kennesaw to Midtown

$242 million would come from U.S. DOT Federal Transit Administration

$152 million would come from ‘other sources,’ such as additional federal grants, Cobb’s cities and universities, community improvement district funds, naming rights revenue, potential public-private partnerships, and private organizations.

$100 million would come from Cobb County

Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal - Lee Proposed BRT system might be funded by SPLOST

[atlantaguy]

Hmmm, although I would much prefer rail - sadly, I don't see any of this happening.

I wish it was a different story.

[1lifealex]

Originally Posted by atlwarrior

Not a good argument for Atlanta's streetcar. Oakcliff to Dallas is not filled with thousand of college students, tourist attractions or professional workers Downtown Atlanta like me. As a professional worker in the 191 tower, I plan to use the Atlanta streetcar for lunch to the Grady curb market.

Not sure what you are talking about just saying we don't have much to complain about I love our first step

[daharris80]

Originally Posted by netdragon

So the Cobb Commissioners announced plans to discuss the dedicated-lane BRT in Cobb County for the upcoming SPLOST

Interesting, I thought in Cobb County they decided things in back rooms and didn't allow public input or debate. Or was that just the decision to hand the Braves' $300 million?

[smArTaLlone]

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/blog/...-marta-to-operate-atlanta-streetcar.html

The city of Atlanta and MARTA will jointly operate the downtown streetcar line due to go into service later this year, Mayor Kasim Reed announced Tuesday.

The city, MARTA and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District outlined the plan in a formal notice to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The proposal still must win approval from the district and MARTA boards of directors.

The plan calls for MARTA to oversee all management and staffing for the line during its first year. After that, operations will transition to the city, which will create an Office of Transit and FTA Administration to handle those responsibilities.

[Libertarian]

Would someone, anyone, please explain to me why Marta can't operate streetcars by themselves? Atlanta needs a jobs program for this why? I'd be thinking this money could go to badly needed infrastructure.

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by Libertarian

Would someone, anyone, please explain to me why Marta can't operate streetcars by themselves? Atlanta needs a jobs program for this why? I'd be thinking this money could go to badly needed infrastructure.

I believe the unionized labor and insurance costs are too high. We get more bang for our public buck by keeping Marta out, I've heard.

[smArTaLlone]

Originally Posted by Terminus

I believe the unionized labor and insurance costs are too high. We get more bang for our public buck by keeping Marta out, I've heard.

In fact that is what was previously stated by the city when the city basically said, "we can't afford Marta".

He cited cost as the reason, saying the city would have had to pay for a pricey insurance policy that MARTA wasn't going to cover.
“It has to do with a whole set of cost structures…insurance that we would have to assume for a new service that MARTA could not accommodate under their existing rapid rail operation," said Weyandt.

http://wabe.org/post/citing-cost-city-atlanta-says-marta-won-t-operate-streetcar

[Libertarian]

OK, I'll assume it wasn't a political decision until proven otherwise.

[Eightball]

Re: the streetcar - I know some have posted photos of one (maybe several). My question is - are they frequently out in public (even just in front of the barn), including weekends? Or are they in the barn almost all the time? I know service won't start for quite a while, but I'm putting out an album and its vaguely streetcar themed. I will be Atlanta and Macon to finish recording the album, and I'm meeting an awesome photographer who lives in GA so I am going to have the artwork done then. However, if they are always in the barn, I may shoot the artwork in Macon. Any info is greatly appreciated!

Specifically the day we will be doing the shoot is 6/15, a Sunday, if that is relevant.

[trainiac]

Originally Posted by Eightball

Re: the streetcar - I know some have posted photos of one (maybe several). My question is - are they frequently out in public (even just in front of the barn), including weekends? Or are they in the barn almost all the time? I know service won't start for quite a while, but I'm putting out an album and its vaguely streetcar themed. I will be Atlanta and Macon to finish recording the album, and I'm meeting an awesome photographer who lives in GA so I am going to have the artwork done then. However, if they are always in the barn, I may shoot the artwork in Macon. Any info is greatly appreciated!

Specifically the day we will be doing the shoot is 6/15, a Sunday, if that is relevant.

It might be different by next weekend but the last few weeks they haven't been out on the tracks at all. The electric is supposedly live now and I heard car testing would mainly be in the overnight hours when they start.

What you could do is get pictures of the catenary system which is complete and all 12 platforms are mostly finished with signage and maps, benches (which are already getting some use) and ramps. Each platform has decent background buildings for context. I did the whole circuit earlier this week and it's pretty much done except for 3 smallish sections of curb work

Haven't heard if the next two vehicles were delivered yet, but I'm getting excited!

[Eightball]

Really appreciate that man.