Comments on: A Sneak Peek at Atlanta’s New Streetcar http://www.decaturmetro.com/2012/08/15/a-sneak-peak-at-atlantas-new-streetcar/ Decatur Georgia News, Events, Atlanta News Tue, 16 Sep 2014 18:24:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0 By: decaturite16 http://www.decaturmetro.com/2012/08/15/a-sneak-peak-at-atlantas-new-streetcar/#comment-265144 Thu, 16 Aug 2012 21:48:21 +0000 http://www.decaturmetro.com/?p=24339#comment-265144 Let’s return to the Tampa example. The TECO trolley connected downtown and its hotels (not nearly as many as in downtown Atlanta) to a badly aging but historic ethnic neighborhood (Cuban, in this case) with a smattering of restaurants and bars. It ran infrequently and closed down early. But ridership began to build. A decade or so later, that neighborhood — Ybor City — is the nightclub and restaurant hub of Tampa, and the area in between downtown and Ybor has filled in with hotels, condos and other eateries. Fare for the trolleys? $2.50 each way for a journey about the same length as Atlanta’s will make. And the frequency has increased with ridership.
My favorite example, though, is my rock-ribbed conservative brother, a lawyer in Cincinnati. He hated the trolly being proposed there, and used the B-word to describe it. But once it was clear it would be built (part of the same tranche of stimulus funds Atlanta got), he bought a building on the line and is moving his main office there. And he’s hardly alone.
I know in this tea party day and age that the idea of investing in the future is out of fashion, but it works if folks just exercise a little imagination.

]]> By: Bo http://www.decaturmetro.com/2012/08/15/a-sneak-peak-at-atlantas-new-streetcar/#comment-265050 Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:49:12 +0000 http://www.decaturmetro.com/?p=24339#comment-265050 Yes, provided changes are made. MARTA also has potential. So does Atlantic Station. So does the Beltline. So does Ponce City Market. Potential is not the same as actually achieving the desired result. The current plan is flawed but there’s clearly potential.

]]> By: AnotherRick http://www.decaturmetro.com/2012/08/15/a-sneak-peak-at-atlantas-new-streetcar/#comment-265040 Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:01:53 +0000 http://www.decaturmetro.com/?p=24339#comment-265040 Maria Saporta’s article demonstrates the potental for this being a worthwhile project.

]]> By: Parker Cross http://www.decaturmetro.com/2012/08/15/a-sneak-peak-at-atlantas-new-streetcar/#comment-265039 Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:57:29 +0000 http://www.decaturmetro.com/?p=24339#comment-265039 Needed that this morning. Thanks, Nick.

]]> By: Bo http://www.decaturmetro.com/2012/08/15/a-sneak-peak-at-atlantas-new-streetcar/#comment-265030 Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:21:54 +0000 http://www.decaturmetro.com/?p=24339#comment-265030 This is the Saporta column I referenced above. I agree that other cities have been successful with new streetcars, but Atlanta seems to be the king of well-intentioned half measures. If they make some changes to increase service and keep fares low, I think you will get some good ridership and make a case that expansion makes sense. If not, I think it will be more ammo for the anti-government/anti-transit folks.

http://saportareport.com/blog/2011/11/atlanta-streetcar-holds-great-potential-%e2%80%94-but-only-if-trains-run-often-and-connect-key-destinations/

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