Comments on: Atlanta Streetcar Stimu-LOSS

By: a transit fan

a transit fan — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:31:23 +0000

I am relieved that the Peachtree Streetcar did not receive TIGER funds. I hope the message received is that we need comprehensive plans backed by the public with pronounced support from neutral parties. I assessed this plan to be shallow, of questionable public benefit, and the dear child of moneyed, for-profit interests. Think twice before you put forward the slimmed down, no local funding option included in the TIGER application as defying my assessment. I believe Atlanta should spend responsibly, regardless of funding source.

I thought I was solidly in favor of a new tax to fund transportation, be it state or regional, if it focused on transit. The suggestion that the Peachtree Streetcar, as proposed, might be funded by such a regional tax gives me pause.

By: atlin83

atlin83 — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:35:41 +0000

I beg to differ. As a midtown resident, and one who rides MARTA (the rail and the #110 bus – that travels on Peachtree from Five Points to Lenox), I can tell you that keeping parking off Peachtree wouldn’t solve anything. To back that up, I don’t own a car, and I walk and bike on Peachtree too.

Any parking-related problems happen from impromptu valet operations at businesses and events by the Fox. However, these are infrequent and restricted to specific times – it might screw up on-time performance for the #110 every once in a while, but it doesn’t cripple the corridor. The fault there is our overall failure to design things well, and to support smart transportation policies and options.

“No parking enforced 24/7/365 in all lanes” is a solution in search of a problem. Most of Peachtree is like this already.

Just my two cents.

By: WestsideATL

WestsideATL — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:04:32 +0000

I wholly disagree. There is a lot of negative momentum re: transit in Atlanta and MARTA is getting dragged down with it. I’ve seen no recent evidence that USDOT or FTA have any “love” for MARTA or any other transit agencies in ATL. The only discretionary money the feds have given MARTA through from the stimulus was a small grant for solar panels at one of their bus garages.

IMHO, ATL will not see any major federal funding for transit until we show that we’ve got our act together. The impending death of C-Tran and major cuts at MARTA do not send a positive signal to the feds. Even small, locally-financed projects like the Memorial Drive BRT which could show that we’re at least doing something seem to be bogged down.

As scary as it is, the best chance we’ve got for new transit projects is Sonny’s regional SPLOST legislation working its way through the Gold Dome. Perhaps the Peachtree Streetcar, or a streetcar along Ponce/North Ave, will make the SPLOST project list.

By: CSD Mom

CSD Mom — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:51:59 +0000

PEDS advocates street parking as a way to reduce neighborhood speeds. I am really glad for all the street-parkers on Sycamore Dr. that force people to slow down through our neighborhood.

By: AMB

AMB — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:42:56 +0000

Seems to me the MARTA subway already covers this track.

All Peachtree needs is to have no parking enforced 24/7/365 in all lanes.