Subway, Elevated and Surface: The Clifton Corridor’s 10 Stations
Decatur Metro | April 4, 2012I just received an email from MARTA detailing how the individual 10 stations along the Clifton Corridor line would be constructed if the line was built. These details weren’t included on the website, when we talked about this back on March 21st.
According to the email from Project Manager Jason Morgan, “the actual proposal includes 3 subway stations, 2 elevated stations, and 5 surface stations”. And here’s the construction detail for the 10 individual stations, according to Mr. Morgan:
- · Lindbergh – surface (at Lindbergh Lane elevation not MARTA Rail elevation)
- · Cheshire Bridge – surface (at CSX rail elevation, not Cheshire Bridge Rd elevation)
- · Sage Hill/Briarcliff – surface (at CSX rail elevation, not Briarcliff Rd elevation)
- · CDC/Emory Point – surface (at Clifton Rd elevation)
- · Emory-Rollins – elevated
- · Emory-Clairmont – subway
- · North Decatur – subway
- · Suburban Plaza – subway
- · DeKalb Medical – surface (at N Decatur Rd elevation)
- · Avondale – elevated (on a new bridge that abuts the existing Sam’s Crossing Bridge elevation)
You can still check out the full project on MARTA’s website HERE.
Interesting. About North Decatur, wonder where that station goes. About Suburban, I wonder if that works together with Walmart’s underground parking scheme.
I just don’t see how that can be a straight line. Hopefully someone draws it over a goggle map for we the cartography-deficient…
DM– the MARTA website (http://www.itsmarta.com/clifton-corr-maps.aspx) still shows the Suburban station above ground… all other over/under/surface descriptions match. Is that a typo in his email or did they change plans?
New maps and all sorts of mock-ups are up (see under the MAPS link)
http://www.itsmarta.com/Clifton-Corr.aspx
I think the website has not been updated with the latest routes and concepts.
suburban plaza / dekalb medical stations seem redundant to me
Ditto for CDC/Emory Point and Emory/Rollins. But maybe “stations” for above ground light rail are more like bus stops than full MARTA stations. Have to admit that frequent brief and accessible stops will probably be more useful to Emory and CDC employees and students on Clifton than big gated self-contained stations.
They are much more like bus stops than heavy rail stations. The stations can be little more than a long strip of concrete platform with a ticket machine.
Then it makes sense to have these frequent stops. Folks carrying bags from Walmart aren’t going to be able to walk over to DeKalb Medical to catch the train and, conversely, elderly patients at DeKalb Medical might choose to drive if they had to walk to their appointments from a Walmart stop. Frequency will be another issue affecting ridership. If trains are not frequent enough, they won’t help commuters and shoppers who cannot wait all day. I tried for awhile to take MARTA buses as well as the train but they were just too infrequent to be useful. I really wonder if this new light rail can succeed if meanwhile MARTA has just announced that service is being further cut back because of budget shortfalls. Twenty extra years in Purgatory for whichever legislators will not support MARTA. Reform it if you want but please fund it.
The overall scale of a station is not dictated by vehicle technology – not to the degree that would be suggested at an “open house” meeting.
Those “big gated self-contained stations” reflect period architecture and insider design. The symptoms may manifest differently today, but the malady remains.
I don’t actually have a problem with the 15 minute and 20 minute after 7pm train headways since MARTA rail is very good at keeping its schedule – at least the Gold line is. In fact I find the 15 minute schedule easier to remember than the old 12 minute. Just have to remember in the morning southbound it leaves Chamblee 8 minutes after the hour and then every 15 minutes after that.
Bus is a different story since its tough to keep a schedule with Bus service due to traffic. Though MARTA has a Beta version of real time tracking of one’s bus that hopefully will be fully functional soon and accessible via Smartphone. Having this will allow you to know when your bus will arrive before you go to your bus stop.
I have to think underground and above ground stations are a lot more expensive since that involves elevators and escalators along with all the extra construction.
I’m really excited about this proposal and I think it would finally help to get MARTA out into areas that are really useful for it to go. I do fear however that with this still being Georgia, the ridiculous Tea Party inspired “no taxes for any reason” foolishness will ultimately kill the TSPLOST and with it any hope of progressive transportation around Atlanta.
Did they miss April 1st?
Even if we stick with the “Silver Line” name, which we can now claim is MBTA inspired, I think I will refer to this as the “F Line” since “we” f’ed up at Lindbergh… probably f’ed up Armour… and after all that talk about the importance of avoiding transfers… well, f’ it.
On the *shiny* side, we can program another repair bay by the transit museum! Our exceptionalism is positively radiant.
Have they determined how this will be powered? Overhead lines?
Anyone know how long they think it will take to complete the construction?
knowing marta? knowing atlanta? it should be done by 2045
Alastair, the corridor may never be built if the T-SPLOST does not pass. However if it does this is the timeline. (Info from presentation I saw on the Clifton Corridor).
1 – 1 1/2 years of environmental study
2 -4 years for planning
2 – 4 years for construction.
So figure that the tax goes into effect in the beginning of 2013, you could see the project finished between 2018 – 2022.
Except that in the article I linked to below, it says even if the tax passes, they can’t do everything they originally planned, so nothing is certain I imagine. Of course, it’s more likely the folks in South Dekalb will get the short end of the stick if MARTA has to choose.
The project list is done and we will be voting on it in July. I don’t think it will be modified. That’s it. They chose the Clifton line over and new rail line along I-20 in S. Dekalb. The only money that will be available is for a couple of park and ride lots along I-20 that could become future stations of a rail line years from now. I know this does not make the people of S. Dekalb happy since they have been paying the 1c sales tax for 30 years and only have buses.
Unless I’m misinterpreting what the general manager said in the link I posted below, she said something along the lines of -the current financial projections left open the possibility that some projects might not be feasible even if voters approved a regional sales (tax???) this July- Not a direct quote though.
Remember that the TSPLOST, if approved, specifically gives MARTA ZERO operating funds – capital only. That’s exactly the problem they’re facing now – they have a very strict limitation on how much of the current sales tax money they can spend on operating versus capital. They’re the ONLY system in the country that has that kind of restriction. Even though the state gives them no money, the state insists on telling them how they can spent what they do have.
The whole deal of what funds they can spend where, seems like it causes pretty big headaches for MARTA. I don’t know the origin of why it is the way it is, so maybe it made sense at some point, but is now more problematic than need be.
The original law creating MARTA had the provision to ensure that they actually built something, but that was 30 years ago and the need for such a restriction is long gone.
Also I thought the TIA budget for this project only pays for the line to go to Emory, the rest would have to happen later if at all.
The line would have only gone to North Decatur if it was Heavy Rail connecting to existing MARTA lines. Since they want light rail (much cheaper) the TIA will pay for it to go all the way to Avondale Estates. However, they will still need to get some Federal money to fully fund it.
That someone at one of the meetings said more would be built doesn’t mean much unfortunately (not to mention that it might violate the process). Can you supply a reference?
Also, several counties might demand a rebate if you attribute construction beyond the approved scope; technically, supposed “excess” money is added to the local portion. 48-8-249(e)
TIA? I try to keep up with transit/green/good growth issues but one problem for me is all the acronyms. I’ve barely figured out:
SPLOST=borrowed construction money for schools that doesn’t require raising the millage rate so school systems love it and build even if they cannot afford the children or teachers that will go in the buildings
TSPLOST=SPLOST for transportation instead of education
LPA=Locally Preferred Alternative=what benefits one area
LRT=Light Rail Transit=trains that are less intrusive and don’t weigh as much?
But don’t know TIA. Transit Information Authority? Transportation Initiative Allocation?
I prefer spelled out terms even if it’s more work for the folks dealing with them. If the projects are so important, they are worth the extra keystrokes.
I know…all those acronyms! The T-SPLOST is what I’m talking about. The thing we will vote on in July. Sorry, still used to calling it TIA (Transportation Investment Act). That’s what I always remember this thing as before it was something that was going to be put up for a vote.
@Home,
SPLOST=
Local Option Sales Tax for a Special Purpose, such as education or transportation (and now also regional transportation)
TIA=
Transportation Investment Act of 2010, which passed the legislature as House Bill 277 (2009-2010 Regular Session) and created the regional T-SPLOST referendum
LPA=Locally Preferred Alternative
[ http://www.fta.dot.gov/12304_2608.html ]
LRT=
Light Rapid Transit, increasingly “light rail” and recently (in the U.S.) equated to the LRT/streetcar chimera (“modern streetcar”)
From the link DM posted earlier this week:
“MARTA’s main funding source — will come up $130 million short in the next five years…MARTA still won’t have enough money to provide for long-term operating costs and maintenance under current projections”
http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-government/marta-service-cuts-looming-1405163.html?cxtype=rss_news_81960
This is a neat idea, but it’s irresponsible to ignore that MARTA will fall short of their projected needs, not including any new projects.
I’ll repeat what I said above although I know some feel strongly otherwise: Twenty extra years in Purgatory for whichever legislators will not support MARTA. Reform it if you want but please fund it. Public transit is like water, sewers, garbage and recycling services, police, fire, a necessary public utility and service.
True, but does the plan have to be so elaborate?
Which plan? The LRT or my Purgatory plan?
If it wasn’t so gosh darned hard to implement a boarding platform we might have no choice but to have rail transit for the people from Indian Creek to [Stonecrest Mall] !
Well, as much as I hate paying more for MARTA when I ride, after the recent service cuts, and the raising of fares, it would be hard to argue that they’re not trying to do their part to get into better shape. It would be nice if the state could be more helpful to their cause, but not likely.
It took me awhile but I think I’m detecting two themes in this thread. One is about the Clifton Corridor LPA (Locally preferred alternative–what lingo!) LRT(light rail transit) line. The other is what wasn’t funded instead, an LPA involving I-20 and South DeKalb.
The contrast seems natural to me if you view one as politics trampling the technology and the other as technology trampling the politics.
excessive commenting – sorry!
Re: what wasn’t funded: Realistically, there’s a limited pot of money, and you can’t do everything. But everyone should be dealt with honestly, and based on the things I have read, it doesn’t sound like the people affected the most by the unfavorable decisions, feel like they were. But that’s a whole other conversation.
It blows my mind this will have more stops per mile than the freaking city-wide MARTA line. I wonder what Clarence Stone would say.
WWCSD?
I would LOVE if this actually happens!!! Would make the commute to Emory so much better!!! Such a nightmare right now. I might actually not care so much about the stupid Walmart if this is a result of it coming to Decatur.