So I guess the only scenario not surveyed would be public opinion of an ACTUAL list of projects. (obviously impossible at this point.) Though from the trending it seems like that might score even lower.

I find myself thinking “Man, there better be a lot of road projects on this list if we want any additional $$ for transit.” I feel dirty already.

Nearly all Georgians support regional efforts in the abstract to improve the flow and efficiency of transit in their regions. The spring 2008 Georgia Poll, the best data we have on public attitudes related to new taxation for improved transportation across the state, asked a random sample of Georgians, “Do you think that the suburban, city, and county governments in your area should share their financial resources and work with each other to develop and implement a regional plan to reduce traffic congestion and suburban sprawl?” A super-majority (85 percent) of respondents answered affirmatively. (In the 10-county Atlanta metro area, 88 percent agreed with the idea of regional sharing.)

Yet, Georgians are less supportive of regional efforts to improve transportation when presented with concrete financial proposals. Survey respondents were told that their local elected officials may vote for legislation that would allow suburban, city and county governments in their area to charge an additional one-penny sales tax to pay for regional programs to reduce traffic congestion and suburban sprawl. Georgians split their support for the then hypothetical one-penny tax. Their support even dropped when they knew that proceeds from the tax would be shared among multiple communities in their region, including communities other than their own.

Statewide, 49 percent of Georgians approved of the penny tax for regional transportation improvements in their own community, dropping to 35 percent when the tax would pay for transportation projects in communities not their own. (In metropolitan Atlanta support for the tax declined from 51 to 37 percent.) The falloff in support for the one-penny tax was consistent among Georgians (and metro Atlantans) regardless of residence in cities or suburbs), amount of household income, partisan identification and race.

Selling the transportation tax is going to be a fascinating campaign.

That still doesn’t disqualify a Clifton Corridor transit option though, does it? And I have to believe that Emory’s gotta be jonesing for a transit alternative to a couple MARTA stations. And while the Emory-Decatur option seems most intriguing to me, it seems like the alternative Emory to East Lake option (along the active CSX line) might be more plausible.

A while back Maria Saporta listed 8 light rail projects that are included in the Concept 3 Plan.

The Beltline was #1 and the Clifton Corridor (Decatur/Emory/Lindbergh) was #2.

What I never had answered was whether this list of projects was in order of importance. I couldn’t find anything in a Google search, except that it looked like Clifton Corridor rider projections were much higher than most of the other light rail proposals.

Basically I’m wondering if the Clifton Corridor really is the #2 priority in terms of light-rail for ARC. Perhaps you or any of the ARC DM readers can provide an answer.