ATLANTA TRANSIT (Marta, Beltline, Peachtree Streetcar, LovJoy Commuter, etc...) - Page 271

Libertarian · #**5401** Posted **Sep 14, 2023, 1:28 PM**

Quote:

But the eastside rail is funded

The eastside beltline rail buildout is funded? Really? I must have missed that one. Or you mean the eastside street rail on Edgewood? Beltline rail will not happen this century and I'm fine with that.

RocketSurgeon · #**5402** Posted **Sep 14, 2023, 1:37 PM**

Any arguments about project complexity or Atlanta being too small or lacking density are totally invalid IMO.

MARTA is heavy rail subway which is substantially more complex to build, and the metro had a quarter of the population then than it does now.

Beltline rail is much, much easier. They already have the land and the funding. It's surface light rail which is much simpler and less expensive.

Lest you should think it's simply harder to build things in modern times, Orlando just built out an entire light rail commuter system in seven years and has been expanding it ever since.

I don't know why people aren't angrier about this. There's no excuse for it. Taxpayer money is being shoveled into companies doing studies and designs that no one has benefitted from.

shivtim · #**5403** Posted **Sep 14, 2023, 1:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libertarian

The eastside beltline rail buildout is funded? Really? I must have missed that one. Or you mean the eastside street rail on Edgewood? Beltline rail will not happen this century and I'm fine with that.

Huh? Yes, the streetcar extension from Jackson street up the Beltline to Ponce is funded. It's in the MARTA budget and the board of directors approved it.

atlantaguy · #**5404** Posted **Sep 14, 2023, 1:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libertarian

The eastside beltline rail buildout is funded? Really? I must have missed that one. Or you mean the eastside street rail on Edgewood? Beltline rail will not happen this century and I'm fine with that.

Just because you wish for something to be so doesn't make it true.

AtlHeel · #**5405** Posted **Sep 14, 2023, 2:38 PM**

and yes, it is funded and happening.

alco89 · #**5406** Posted **Sep 14, 2023, 3:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libertarian

The eastside beltline rail buildout is funded? Really? I must have missed that one. Or you mean the eastside street rail on Edgewood? Beltline rail will not happen this century and I'm fine with that.

Why do yall keep saying this?? It's not true!

Libertarian · #**5407** Posted **Sep 14, 2023, 9:04 PM**

Does somebody have a link? The cost per passenger mile I saw was crazy high and I haven't seen anything about funding it.

shivtim · #**5408** Posted **Sep 15, 2023, 5:08 PM**

https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2023/0...n-to-beltline/

"The extension of the streetcar from Downtown to the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail then up to Ponce City Market will cost approximately $230 million and is funded through the More MARTA half-penny sales tax."

Street Advocate · #**5409** Posted **Sep 15, 2023, 6:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by shivtim

https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2023/0...n-to-beltline/

"The extension of the streetcar from Downtown to the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail then up to Ponce City Market will cost approximately $230 million and is funded through the More MARTA half-penny sales tax."

That’s fake news, Shivtim! Only Libertarian and those who live outside the city and largely uninformed are correct!

(Please stop engaging with people who have been here for years and continue to engage in bad faith or simply just don’t retain foundational information about what’s been going on the past 5+ years)

Libertarian · #**5410** Posted **Sep 15, 2023, 7:06 PM**

Quote:

approximately $230

We're looking at a couple mile of street rail that by 2025 will cost $230x2=$460 million (rule of thumb) and the SPLOST total annual tax collection for all projects is $168 million without added inflation? Yep, seems legit.
Oh, I forgot about unlimited available fed funding available to help the $2 Trillion deficit (2023, more later).

atlantaguy · #**5411** Posted **Sep 15, 2023, 10:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libertarian

We're looking at a couple mile of street rail that by 2025 will cost $230x2=$460 million (rule of thumb) and the SPLOST total annual tax collection for all projects is $168 million without added inflation? Yep, seems legit.
Oh, I forgot about unlimited available fed funding available to help the $2 Trillion deficit (2023, more later).

And yet just the promise of rail has already been the catalyst for several $Billion worth of private investment (with more later).

Libertarian · #**5412** Posted **Sep 16, 2023, 1:57 PM**

Wasn't there a proposal for properties near the beltline to up the ante on a property tax surcharge?
Main issue is, there's no source of funds for 22 miles of beltline rail or even 2 miles - not even close. Public-sector infrastructure cost has grown exponentially due to unfunded mandates, inflation, and honestly, corruption.

atlantaguy · #**5413** Posted **Sep 16, 2023, 2:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libertarian

Wasn't there a proposal for properties near the beltline to up the ante on a property tax surcharge?
Main issue is, there's no source of funds for 22 miles of beltline rail or even 2 miles - not even close. Public-sector infrastructure cost has grown exponentially due to unfunded mandates, inflation, and honestly, corruption.

Yes, when all else fails - but corruption!

Prove it.

Libertarian · #**5414** Posted **Sep 16, 2023, 3:02 PM**

Corruption takes many forms at high levels, and not just direct payments although direct payments certainly have and are occurring. You prove it's not happening. Unfortunately there's little investigative journalism in this metro. But there always will be whistleblowers.

atlantaguy · #**5415** Posted **Sep 16, 2023, 3:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libertarian

Corruption takes many forms at high levels, and not just direct payments although direct payments certainly have and are occurring. You prove it's not happening. Unfortunately there's little investigative journalism in this metro. But there always will be whistleblowers.

That's not how things work. YOU made the accusation, therefore you provide the proof. You can't.

Libertarian · #**5416** Posted **Sep 16, 2023, 4:12 PM**

Uh, no, I can make comments and admonitions so long as don't finger specific individuals.
Bottom line is, there's no money to do much.

Libertarian · #**5417** Posted **Sep 16, 2023, 4:42 PM**

"All we have to do now,
is take these lies and make them true..."
George Michael's song "Freedom"

ATLMidcity · #**5418** Posted **Sep 16, 2023, 5:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libertarian

"All we have to do now,
is take these lies and make them true..."
George Michael's song "Freedom"

Trump and the Republican party's Anthem.

You finally said something we can all agree with.

Libertarian · #**5419** Posted **Sep 16, 2023, 5:51 PM**

Well I'm definitely not a fan of Biden! Rather see someone else, but who?

Street Advocate · #**5420** Posted **Sep 16, 2023, 9:16 PM**

Mods, please ban Libertarian for his persistent disregard of facts, ie the 2016 approved $2.5 billion More MARTA funds and derailing threads to his own made up reality. He’s just not adding value here and hasn’t been for years.