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

[Rail Claimore]

Originally Posted by cybele

I'm not advocating a north-centric point of view, megalopolis, nor does that reflect my personal tastes. I'm simply acknowledging the forces that have shaped our history and the forces that shape our settlement now.

And if you don't believe there's been an utterly humongous effort to prop up downtown during the last 50 years (if not longer), then I'd suggest we drag out the history books. And that effort hasn't been driven by city planners -- most of it has derived from the big wheels in Buckhead, Ansley, Druid Hills, Cascade and in some cases prominent OTP folks. That's not opinion, it's just historical fact.

Why are we talking about intermodal rail connections like it's a zero-sum game? Five Points certainly makes sense for a hub, but so does Lindbergh, Atlantic Station, the Airport, and even Doraville. The NE MARTA line was built practically right next to the existing freight tracks. I say let the CIDs that eventually form around these transfer points help fund their own wonderful stations. Heck, even Cumberland might get such a hub one day if they ever build a rapid transit line NW of Atlanta.

Originally Posted by Fiorenza

Well, I'm against the sale of alcohol on Sundays.

You'd hate Alabama then: local option on Sunday sales (four counties currently), but every other alcohol law is much more restrictive than Georgia.

[Andrea]

.

[Andrea]

.

[megalopolis]

Originally Posted by Andrea

.

I think Andrea saw a discussion brewing over Sunday alcohol sales and wanted to join in the conversation, but then she remembered that she said she was leaving the forum, vowing never to return....again.

Maybe our newest member of the forum, cybele, has an opinion on the topic?

[OCA REP]

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

You'd hate Alabama then: local option on Sunday sales (four counties currently), but every other alcohol law is much more restrictive than Georgia.

Thank goodness I can buy a bottle of wine if I want on Sunday afternoon to go with dinner that evening!

[cybele]

It doesn't take much to get the anti Sunday alcohol crowd going. That makes no sense to me. If you can buy it in a bar, why can't you buy it in a grocery store?

If you don't believe in drinking on Sunday, then don't do it. But the last time I checked we weren't into theocracy in this country.

[cybele]

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

Why are we talking about intermodal rail connections like it's a zero-sum game? Five Points certainly makes sense for a hub, but so does Lindbergh, Atlantic Station, the Airport, and even Doraville. The NE MARTA line was built practically right next to the existing freight tracks. I say let the CIDs that eventually form around these transfer points help fund their own wonderful stations. Heck, even Cumberland might get such a hub one day if they ever build a rapid transit line NW of Atlanta.

Exactly. If the businesses in the downtown CID want to pony up the money for a multimodal terminal, then go for it. I just hate to see the argument that Five Points is somehow the only suitable place for such a facility, especially if it's going to conflict with important local projects like the Beltline. Doraville and the airport are obvious choices but the reality is that we could use several of them.

[Atlwest281]

I think a setup similar to London might work for us. You have at least 4 Transit hubs each catering to different segments of the whole rail/subway/light rail picture. Same thing in Paris. I don't think there needs to be a be all end all hub but I think the central hub should be in Downtown and the ancillary hubs In places like Doraville and the Galleria or Town Center areas and maybe one just south of the airport to help with cross south metro travel. Maybe one at Buford/Mall of Georgia Area. Just some thoughts.

[Rail Claimore]

Originally Posted by Atlwest281

I think a setup similar to London might work for us. You have at least 4 Transit hubs each catering to different segments of the whole rail/subway/light rail picture. Same thing in Paris. I don't think there needs to be a be all end all hub but I think the central hub should be in Downtown and the ancillary hubs In places like Doraville and the Galleria or Town Center areas and maybe one just south of the airport to help with cross south metro travel. Maybe one at Buford/Mall of Georgia Area. Just some thoughts.

Atlanta is fortunate to be one of the few large cities in the country where many of its major employment centers happen to be close to existing rail infrastructure (I'm mainly talking about freight). Many other large decentralized metros have most of their activity centers located purposely away from rail lines and exclusively near freeways.

That needs to be seized upon by transportation planners in the region.

[jew4life4948]

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

Atlanta is fortunate to be one of the few large cities in the country where many of its major employment centers happen to be close to existing rail infrastructure (I'm mainly talking about freight). Many other large decentralized metros have most of their activity centers located purposely away from rail lines and exclusively near freeways.

That needs to be seized upon by transportation planners in the region.

I saw use the ROW of interstates and tunnel some high-speed trains underground.

Maybe even wire a new electrical grid underneath it while you're at it.

[jew4life4948]

Now that the Georgia Department of Transportation, Amtrak and Beltline officials have all taken a vow of silence and decided to keep quiet about the ongoing negotiations surrounding a rail segment in Northeast Atlanta, we have ample time to pore over the plans ourselves.

To bring everyone back up to speed: GDOT and Amtrak say they have plans for a future commuter rail line that would run on unused tracks along the eastern edge of Piedmont Park. Officials for the Beltline, the 22-mile of parks, trails and transit proposed to circle the urban core, recently purchased the tracks and surrounding property for $66 million, not including interest payments and payouts to private partners in the deal. Beltline officials oppose GDOT and Amtrak’s plans and say they would not only alter the vision of the Beltline in the area, but potentially jeopardize the entire $2.8 billion project. Beltline planners are scheduled to unveil their plans for the area in dispute — plans that could change if GDOT and Amtrak don’t budge on their position — on Thursday. Here are details of that night’s event.

[ATLaffinity]

^ could you walk us through that?

[plorenc]

I've made a map of Atlanta's potential transit system in 30 or so years. It's based mostly on the recently adopted Concept 3, but it also takes parts from CFPT's "Visualize World-Class Transit in Atlanta," such as the station names and format. Included are only the light and heavy rail lines and not streetcars or commuter rails.

I am having a few problems, however. First of all, I don't know to call the large hub station above Pershing Point Lindbergh Center or Armour.The CFPT map says Armour but Concept 3 mentions nothing of a new station there. Secondly, the dotted pink and yellow lines are lines that were vaguely described. I would like input in order to know what the use of these are. You can look at Concept 3's map to know exactly what I'm talking about here:

http://tpb.ga.gov/Documents/TPB/Aug0...%203%20map.pdf

Anyways, without further ado,



If anyone could upload this at a larger resolution, it would be much appreciated.

[WestsideATL]

MARTA did an infill station feasibility for Pershing Point (at Peachtree St & West Peachtree St NE), but MARTA costed the project out at almost $300 million. Dewberry Capital went back and revised its plans to come up with a lower cost solution, but MARTA never bit. http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/s...19/story7.html The station was intended to serve the "Uptown" offices that were too far of a walk from Arts Center Station.

Armour was a infill concept that CFPT came up with a few years ago that was intended to provide a multimodal nexus for MARTA rail, commuter rail and intercity rail. http://www.cfpt.org/pages/armour

Because the Pershing Point location won't really work for a multimodal station, I'd recommend that you use Armour.

For the pink line, is that supposed be the Peachtree Streetcar? If so, it shouldn't connect to Lindbergh, it should start from the south at Lakewood/Ft. MacPherson Station, run by Buckhead Station and end near/or at Brookhaven Station.

For the yellow line since LRT has been studied on I-75, it has always ended at Arts Center. For some reason Concept3 has a route to Arts Center as well as a route to downtown. Not sure what to tell you there...

[jew4life4948]

Originally Posted by plorenc

I've made a map of Atlanta's potential transit system in 30 or so years. It's based mostly on the recently adopted Concept 3, but it also takes parts from CFPT's "Visualize World-Class Transit in Atlanta," such as the station names and format. Included are only the light and heavy rail lines and not streetcars or commuter rails.

I am having a few problems, however. First of all, I don't know to call the large hub station above Pershing Point Lindbergh Center or Armour.The CFPT map says Armour but Concept 3 mentions nothing of a new station there. Secondly, the dotted pink and yellow lines are lines that were vaguely described. I would like input in order to know what the use of these are. You can look at Concept 3's map to know exactly what I'm talking about here:

http://tpb.ga.gov/Documents/TPB/Aug0...%203%20map.pdf

Anyways, without further ado,



If anyone could upload this at a larger resolution, it would be much appreciated.

Is the solid pink currently what's being implemented as the MARTA Memorial Drive BRT?

[WestsideATL]

Originally Posted by jew4life4948

Is the solid pink currently what's being implemented as the MARTA Memorial Drive BRT?

No, it's I-20 East LRT. If you've ever heard of MARTA's I-20 East BRT project, it's the same corridor and stations, just now instead of BRT, it's light rail.

[plorenc]

Originally Posted by WestsideATL

For the pink line, is that supposed be the Peachtree Streetcar? If so, it shouldn't connect to Lindbergh, it should start from the south at Lakewood/Ft. MacPherson Station, run by Buckhead Station and end near/or at Brookhaven Station.

For the yellow line since LRT has been studied on I-75, it has always ended at Arts Center. For some reason Concept3 has a route to Arts Center as well as a route to downtown. Not sure what to tell you there...

I originally used Armour for that hub station, but I'm curious if MARTA is still planning on expanding up there.

The pink line is not the Peachtree Streetcar. I did not include streetcars on here. It is the line that parallels I-20 to Lithonia. The one thing that was unclear is whether or not it connected to Armour Railyard.

And you are correct about the yellow line. I suppose it is to promote connectivity around the west side.

[WestsideATL]

Originally Posted by plorenc

The pink line is not the Peachtree Streetcar. I did not include streetcars on here. It is the line that parallels I-20 to Lithonia. The one thing that was unclear is whether or not it connected to Armour Railyard.

But what is the pink dashed line? Isn't the I-20 East LRT supposed to terminate at Garnett or 5 Points Station?

[jew4life4948]

Isn't the line going to KSU supposed to be BRT?

And was the brown line included in Concept 3?
I know Commuter Rail goes through Emory, to Atlantic Station, ending at MMPT.

[cybele]

Originally Posted by jew4life4948

I know Commuter Rail goes through Emory, to Atlantic Station, ending at MMPT.

I thought I read that the state sold the land near Atlantic Station where there'd been talk of putting a commuter rail station.