Economic impact of a crippled MARTA would be substantial
Unless a miracle occurs by June 30, MARTA will be forced to make severe, even crippling cuts in services that tens of thousands of Georgians rely on heavily in their daily lives.
And that miracle better be a big one.
According to MARTA Chairman Michael Tyler, the agency expects operating revenue from sales taxes, fares and other sources at $316 million for fiscal 2011. (The system’s sales-tax revenue has taken a particularly hard hit in the recession.)
However, at current service levels MARTA’s operating expenses are projected to be $436 million, which creates a looming shortfall of $120 million.
The service cuts needed to reduce the budget by a quarter will have far-reaching ramifications to the economic health of metro Atlanta and Georgia.
MARTA, after all, is infrastructure. It is supposed to be permanent, and many people have built their lives and businesses around the expectation that the system will be there.
For example, many of its customers are low-income workers with no other means of getting to their workplace. Sharp reductions in service may push some of them into unemployment, and the businesses that employ them may face the loss of good workers.
Other riders are totally dependent on MARTA to access medical care, grocery stores and other necessities of daily life. The tourism and convention business, including hotels, are also highly dependent on MARTA, as is the airport.
“I think everyone understands the gravity of the situation,” Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said last week. “I think everyone understands that, without any change in MARTA’s funding, it goes broke…. That can’t stand from a competitive standpoint. It would devastate the Georgia World Congress Center. So there are multiple competitive reasons that MARTA needs to function well.”
All in all, MARTA will provide more than 140 million trips this year; for almost 50 percent of its riders, the transit system represents their sole means of transportation.
(And despite what you hear from some at the state Capitol, MARTA is generally a well-run agency that’s respected nationally. That criticism is largely offered to excuse the state’s continued neglect of MARTA.)
There’s also no sign that the looming service reductions would be temporary. Gov. Sonny Perdue has proposed legislation allowing metro Atlanta to tax itself for transportation, but even if that proposal becomes law, the money can only begin to flow by 2013 at the earliest.
“That makes for three very difficult years for MARTA,” says Chick Krautler, director of the Atlanta Regional Commission.
According to Tyler, the system’s best hope for a miracle lies with the state Legislature. But while state leaders talk a lot about trying to preserve jobs and improve our competitiveness in these tough economic times, there is little sign they will be willing to help.
Perdue, for example, has proposed selling bonds to raise $300 million for transportation projects this year. Unfortunately, that money is earmarked only for projects that move freight, not people. For example, it includes $10 million in taxpayer subsidies for state-owned freight lines, most of which are in south Georgia.
Yet not a penny for MARTA.
In fact, in a meeting last week Krautler acknowledged that no one on the governor’s staff had even contacted the metro Atlanta planning agency for input into how that $300 million might best be spent.
“The challenges are so big that we need to work together right now,” Reed warned legislators last week. “We can deal with the stuff between us later. But right now Georgia’s dominance as the capital of the South is threatened.”
And we do nothing.
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464 comments Add your comment
Whacks Eloquent
February 2nd, 2010
12:34 pm
Honestly, for those of you worried about safety, you are probably more likely to be mugged or whatever in your parking lot, where there are relatively few other people at any given time. With MARTA usually there are lots of people, and I have heard of very few instances of crime in the stations. The crime associated with MARTA often occurs in the neighborhood near that station, but that is an issue of law enforcement, and has little to do with the mass transit.
Besides, I get an extra hour of reading time each day (or sleep even, on the bus. see people sleeping on subway, not sure how it is not smooth). It is a heck of a lot better than having to spend that hour playing stop-and-go with a bunch of other drivers and raising my stress. I have even made a few good friends with people I know on my Xpress bus. And it saves me over $100 a month on gasoline alone…
Hef
February 2nd, 2010
12:35 pm
It’s always refreshing to hear those on the left(tax em till they bleed) talk about economics.
frankly
February 2nd, 2010
12:37 pm
What is wrong with the “Republicans” in this state that they can’t recognize transit as infrastructure just like roads. All this brainless talk about the free market when the government, both local and federal, invest HEAVILY in a competing form of transportation. Gas taxes DO NOT pay for the full cost of building and maintaining our roads either. When somebody suggests a SPLOST to do road projects, no one comes on here with this free market mumbo jumbo.
Republican led states across the south are investing in transit and leaving this state behind to sit endless traffic jams.
Hef
February 2nd, 2010
12:42 pm
frankly-exactly where are the funds going to come from?
Whacks Eloquent
February 2nd, 2010
12:43 pm
“exactly where are the funds going to come from?”
Some fairly painless ideas include:
1) Remove the restrictions on how MARTA can use their revenue. It should go primarily to operations.
2) My idea – quit funding for escalators, convert to stairs. Better for health too.
3) Adopt a graduated fare system like what is used in many other cities. Hurts some, helps others.
j
February 2nd, 2010
12:44 pm
For the record:
it cost $2 a ride (NY, Chicago and DC are all over $2)
MARTA is the only mass transportation system located in a major city receiving NO state-funding, yet the state controls their access to those funds
MARTA’s rail service is located in THREE counties and only TWO of those counties pay the 1% sales tax to support it (these three counties do not include the counties from which regional transportation systems feed into MARTA with a free transfer)
Not only do at least 50,000 white collar workers take MARTA, but so do students from all over Metro Atlanta including Georgia State, Georgia Tech and all of the technical universities around the city offer monthly MARTA passes to their students
35-40% of Americans don’t have cars and this is not just due to affordability. These percentages include people under the age of 16, elderly who can no longer drive and the disabled who rely on public transportation as a means of transportation. Who’s going to drive these kids to school and the elderly to their doctors appointments? YOU?
frankly
February 2nd, 2010
12:46 pm
Why not privatize the road system and let those who use each road pay the tolls to maintain them .
frankly
February 2nd, 2010
12:48 pm
Actually J it is 50 % of the population that is too old, too young, or too poor to drive.
Whacks Eloquent
February 2nd, 2010
12:49 pm
“Why not privatize the road system and let those who use each road pay the tolls to maintain them”
Funny I remember a couple of years ago they were talking about just that – doing away with the gas tax and replacing it with a mileage tax. In theory, it might be good, as it would encourage people to buy more economical vehicles. But the downfall is it would be a boondoggle to implement, who would enforce the taxes. From what I heard (I could be wrong) it would be either part of filing annual taxes (yuck, longer?) or tied to the annual vehicle inspections (but only Metro Atlanta has these in Georgia).
Bob the Slob
February 2nd, 2010
12:50 pm
I just love looking out the scratched grease smeared windows.
Just Saying
February 2nd, 2010
12:52 pm
NYC Transit
One Way Fare: $2.25
One-Day Fare: $8.25
7-Day Fare: $27
30-Day Fare: $89
Revenue Source – 2008 – Billions
33.7% Passenger Fares
10.31% Tolls
28.22% Tax
19.48% Grants
5.15% Non-Operating Revenue
3.31% Other
Los Angeles Metro
One Way Fare: $1.25
One-Day Fare: $5
7-Day Fare: $17
30-Day Fare: $62
Revenue Source – 2009 – Billions
10.3% Passenger Fares
22% Federal, State, Local Grants
64% Sales Tax, STA, TDA
3.7% Other
M.A.R.T.A.
One Way Fare: $2
7-Day Fare: $15
30-Day Fare: $60
Revenue Source – 2008 – Hundred Millions
19% Passenger Fares
9% Federal Operating Grants
65% Sales Tax (1% tax)
6% Other
What makes one different from the others, MARTA does not receive State funding. Just like Grady Hospital, many people outside of the Fulton/Dekalb area utilizes the service and do not expect to pay for it. MARTA has prevalent services in the Fulton/Dekalb area because these are the only counties that approved of the sales tax to support MARTA. There are many people on this board stating that they should not have to pay for MARTA because they don’t use it, but the people in the main areas that MARTA services do pay for those services in the form of a 1% sales tax and recently extended the tax by an additional 15 years to 2047.
John Tackett
February 2nd, 2010
12:52 pm
San Francisco gets Federal Money for projects like these.. While Atlanta gets nothing. Why? Because they have a transportation plan and Georgia does not.
(02-01) 20:43 PST SAN FRANCISCO — Muni’s Central Subway and its Van Ness Avenue rapid bus project, plus AC Transit’s bus rapid transit project, each will be awarded tens of millions of dollars in federal funding today.
The Department of Transportation will award Muni $20 million for the Central Subway project, which is to run from Fourth and King streets to Chinatown. The Van Ness project will get $15 million. AC Transit’s project, to run from San Leandro to Berkeley, also will get $15 million. The money will come from the highly competitive New Starts and Small Starts programs, which help fund major transportation projects.
The $1.6-billion Central Subway would travel at street level from Fourth and King to the Interstate 80 skyway, then underground to Stockton and Jackson streets, with stations near the Moscone Convention Center, Union Square and in Chinatown. Construction is expected to begin this year with service starting in 2018.
The Van Ness project would add dedicated bus lanes, stations, ticket machines and traffic signals that give buses priority on a 2-mile stretch of Van Ness Avenue between Mission and Lombard streets. It is expected to cost $120 million, with construction starting in 2011 or 2012. Service would begin a year later.
“The Central Subway and Van Ness bus rapid transit projects are tremendous investments in San Francisco’s transportation future,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom. “This good news from Washington only adds to the recent momentum for these projects.”
AC Transit’s project would also add dedicated bus lanes, stations and signal priority to an 18-mile stretch from the Bay Fair BART Station to UC Berkeley and downtown Berkeley. Construction is projected to start in 2012 with service beginning in 2014. It is projected to cost $235 million.
“It is a reinforcement of AC Transit’s commitment to the BRT (bus rapid transit),” said AC Transit interim General Manager Mary King. “At this point, this is the only way that federal money in large amounts will be flowing to transportation projects. We believe the BRT is one of the best ways to capture it.”
professional skeptic
February 2nd, 2010
12:53 pm
Hef –
The anti-transit crowd like to talk the big talk about Independence and Freedom, but then they turn right around and open their wallets and throw gobs of money to Venezuela and the Mid. East every time they pull up to the pump and “fill ‘er up.”
If Georgia continues to fund ONLY roads and ONLY automobile transit, then Georgia is sending the distinct message that it would rather stay completely dependent on the oil producers, like piglets on a mother sow.
When people support transit, they show support for a truly independent America. Nothing wrong with that, is there?
Outhouse Go-Kart
February 2nd, 2010
12:54 pm
Whacks Eloquent
February 2nd, 2010
12:34 pm
Ahem…we dont have muggings in N Fulton.
A Modest Proposal
February 2nd, 2010
12:58 pm
Hmm, all this talk of bloated government programs that have never returned a profit has gotten me thinking- why I’m still forced to pay taxes and fund the U.S. military? The military is never profitable and their deficits are expanding by billions every year! Moreover, I derive no direct benefit from the militarys existence as my particular town has not been invaded be foreigners in over a century! I feel for those 3000 people in NYC that were murdered by terrorists but why do they always have to use government as a crutch and waste my tax dollars? Clearly the 9/11 survivors should have just held a bake sale to fund all combat operations in Afghanistan- afterall if a program cannot support itself without my tax dollars it has no worth.
JMoore
February 2nd, 2010
12:59 pm
MARTA stands for Moving Afro-americans Rapidly Through Atlanta. If they won’t pay, let them take the Heel-n-Toe Express.
md
February 2nd, 2010
12:59 pm
“Why not privatize the road system and let those who use each road pay the tolls to maintain them .”
We already pay to use them, it is called gas tax.
Bob the Slob
February 2nd, 2010
1:01 pm
I wondered when some douchebag was going to say it.
Outhouse Go-Kart
February 2nd, 2010
1:03 pm
We need our Pro-Tax Mass Tranit Progressives to lead the charge on this one. Where are those open heart and open checkbooks? Our favorite charity, marta, is yet again in trouble and in “need of a fix”.
A shot in the arm if you will.
Marta, the junkie, needs its annual dosage of drugs. And lets not have any of that intervention talk. The druggie needs its drugs. Marta is a victim like everyone else. Its all good!!
ACC Booster
February 2nd, 2010
1:04 pm
Swede Atlanta: I think that all modes of transportation in North Georgia should be funded alot better than they are at present, but I do happen to think that the investment and expansion of those modes (especially rail and roads) should depend less heavily on tax increases and more heavily on user fees. Let’s face it, a tax increase of any kind, especially a tax increase to fund what is perceived to many Georgians to be an experimental luxury for a bunch of poor blacks, bums, yankees, liberals and gays in Atlanta, is unlikely to be approved in the Georgia General Assembly anytime soon especially in the current economic and political atmosphere of tea parties, tax revolts, high unemployment and outrage and anger by moderate and conservative voters over big government. Advocating for state to start funding MARTA through tax increases is pointless and won’t win you many political allies in the Gold Dome.
Proposing to have an overhauled, regional multimodal rapid transit authority (NOT MARTA) funded through user fees in the form higher fares adequately high enough to cover the cost of providing a safe, clean, fast, efficient, on-time bus, heavy rail, light rail and commuter rail system that appeals to white-collar professionals may be the place to start the conversation on increasing investment in mass transit in Georgia. If voters and the public can see a system that makes top-flight service to all of Georgia its number one priority, then maybe they will want to buy into the system in the form of public subsidies down the line and decrease fares, but starting the dialogue by asking the state to provide funding to an agency such as that as MARTA with the way it currently exists and the bad public perception and stigma it has is NOT a conversation starter.
For those of you that think that I’m picking on MARTA, I also think that any new roads or lanes built in North Georgia should be funded through user fees in the form of tolls. I’m not crazy about the idea of paying more to use mass transit or having to a pay a toll to use the roads, but money to fund and expand these modes of transport is short and user fees, while not popular, but not as unpopular statewide as the idea of tax increases, help get the infrastructure built sooner rather than later. We need to come up with creative ways of investment that can appeal to a skeptical public to get transportation off the ground and not depend so much on the idea or belief of public/taxpayer-funded subsidies, I’m not saying NO taxpayer subsidies, but getting these plans off the drawingboard in a reasonable and rational time frame is gonna take some creative funding. I also think that HONEST limited public-private partnerships are not a bad idea when it comes to the construction and operation of public transportation entities.
Outhouse Go-Kart
February 2nd, 2010
1:04 pm
A Modest Proposal
February 2nd, 2010
12:58 pm
We covered that chapter…you are late to the dance. What happened? Was your Marta bus running behind schedule.
MDivine
February 2nd, 2010
1:09 pm
Yesterday, I reviewed several job listing sites to apply for a job…I eliminated 15 due to not being accessible by pub transit…for the last 8 years I have watched my opportunities decrease as more and more job sites move to the northern arc of the ATL Metro…there is no positive job growth in the MARTA administrative areas…none…that is my biggest issue with it all…what good is public transit it can not move ppl to the areas that allow them to seek viable employment opportunities…if I can not drive, then I can not work.
Bob the Slob
February 2nd, 2010
1:09 pm
Move.
Matt the Brave
February 2nd, 2010
1:22 pm
Here’s the main problem from day 1 for MARTA. No one really cares and they never have. No one in the Legislature, no one in Atlanta City Hall, no one on the Fulton County Commissioners, not even DeKalb, Cobb, or Gwinnett.
Unless you’re heading to downtown Atlanta, it’s a useless system.
ACC Booster
February 2nd, 2010
1:27 pm
newkid: Interesting link to info about the Shanghai rapid-rail system. Very interesting how they’ve built that system up in just 15 years and are planning to continue to add many more heavy rail and light rail lines over the next few years. Lots of progress for Shanghai in a very short period of time while Georgia hasn’t made anymore substantial investments in road or rail over the same time while the metro area population has grown by about 60% or so. Are we yesterday’s news, I don’t know, but tomorrow isn’t looking as bright and promising as we thought it did.
Lulu
February 2nd, 2010
1:31 pm
I want to report a comment, Jay. It’s the 12:54 pm comment that both uses an emoticon AND is a direct address to a specific personage.
Look, Jay, I thought everyone agreed that emoticons are verboten. I’m not saying this just because I’m afraid of them. Small children read these blogs. Yellow circular faces are a scary as clown faces to kids. Save the children, man.
And then of course it’s common knowledge that no good can come from directly addressing another specific commenter. You know, Jay, I researched the beginning of chatrooms in the early years of the internetz. Did you know that it only took 14 comment/replies in the very first chatroom for someone to call someone else a total idiot and loser? The derogatory “Sniffwad” came exactly 7 comments later, and then the M-bomb was first dropped a scant 3 comments later.
It was okay when only the Democrats had the M-bomb. But when the GOP got it, well, lets just say the mutually assured moronium (MAM) was no deterence. That’s why the half life of a blog is so short, man.
But nobody listens to me. Go ‘head. Act like juvenile dorks. No skin off my nose. I don’t even care. Use smiley faces. Call each other names.
We don’t need new rules. Simply enforce the ones already in place, man.
frankly
February 2nd, 2010
1:32 pm
md – “We already pay to use them (roads), it is called gas tax.”
Gas taxes DO NOT pay the full cost of roads either. Your county or local government has to spend tax money on roads, the state used general fund dollars on roads.
In case you haven’t noticed the state is woefully short of funding necessary to maintain roads. Perdue just introduced his bond plan to fund road projects that DOES NOT come from gas taxes because gas taxes DO NOT pay the full cost of roads.
So why not get the gubment out of the way and let everyone that uses each road pay the FULL cost of using that road every time they drive?
worldrimroamer
February 2nd, 2010
1:52 pm
To all of you who are trashing mass transit in general: Listen up, you brachycephalic, redneck ignoramuses. The last I heard, there is not a single mass-transit system in the entire world that is not subsidized by the respective governments. Just as are the airports, the roads and bridges, the freight-train lines, the Coast Guard, the EPA, the FDA, the Navy and Army, the judicial system, the houses of Congress, the city councils — for chrissakes! I propose that those of us who know something about Western Civilization and history and the difference between our butts and a hole in the ground, duh, just give Atlanta to the rednecks, and we’ll move to Paris, New York, San Fransisco, Amsterdam, Chicago, Brussels … jeez, I grow so weary of dumbasses who insist on talking with their mouths open. Please be quiet. Shhhh …
Whacks Eloquent
February 2nd, 2010
1:53 pm
“Small children read these blogs”
You let your kids read Bookman’s blog? Wow. Trying to give them a full years’ worth of weirdos and freaks in just an hour? Seriously, what kid would have any interest in the topics discussed here? And what do you do if you take your kids to Wal-Mart? Those evil smilies are everywhere, scary!
Outhouse’s comment was directed at me – I think it was tongue-in-cheek. I…think…Outhouse?
He said there were no muggings in N Fulton. Nah, just home invasions, robberies, juvenile delinquents, etc.!
Sadly, I think I can tie both of these together. We are too worried about sheltering ourselves and our families from some of the harsher realities of the world. This idea that extending a subway into your county will turn it into a cesspool is just nonsense. But MARTA’s planners can take the blame for that partially, they designed it to connect to the projects… It is not the cause of the problem, it is just reaping the poor planning decisions of the past. Had they extended it to more white collar neighborhoods when they built it, I am sure it would have quite a different reputation now. But what is to keep a thug from getting into a buddy’s car, driving to your house in Roswell, and breaking in and taking your flat screen? BTW, I have never seen anyone carrying a flat screen on MARTA…
Whacks Eloquent
February 2nd, 2010
1:55 pm
“Small children read these blogs”
You let your kids read Bookman’s blog? Wow. Trying to give them a full years’ worth of weirdos and freaks in just an hour? Seriously, what kid would have any interest in the topics discussed here? And what do you do if you take your kids to Wal-Mart? Those evil smilies are everywhere, scary!
Outhouse’s comment was directed at me – I think it was tongue-in-cheek. I…think…Outhouse?
He said there were no muggings in N Fulton. Nah, just home invasions, robberies, juvenile delinquents, etc.!
Sadly, I think I can tie both of these together. We are too worried about sheltering ourselves and our families from some of the harsher realities of the world. This idea that extending a subway into your county will turn it into a slum is just nonsense. (Western Gwinnett has done just fine without) MARTA’s planners can take much of the blame for undesirable image, since they designed it to connect to the projects… It is not the cause of the problem, it is just reaping the poor planning decisions of the past. Had they extended it to more white collar neighborhoods when they built it, I am sure it would have quite a different reputation now. But what is to keep a thug from getting into a buddy’s car, driving to your house in Roswell, and breaking in and taking your flat screen? BTW, I have never seen anyone carrying a flat screen on MARTA…
frankly
February 2nd, 2010
1:59 pm
Enter your comments here
md
February 2nd, 2010
2:17 pm
” I derive no direct benefit from the militarys existence as my particular town has not been invaded be foreigners in over a century! ”
And there is no possibility that having a military allowed you to make that claim – right?
Uncle Splat
February 2nd, 2010
2:22 pm
Right or wrong, MARTA is already a crippled system, at least compared to other metro areas.
Part of it is sheer unwillingness to adopt policies that actually bring in more revenue/riders or to treat the agency more a business. Right now $2 gets you from Dunwoody to the airport, *or* from 5 points to Civic Center, which makes no sense. Buses and trains regularly run way off schedule (or not at all). For many people who only ride MARTA a few times a year (more likely your affluent folks in the burbs), it almost always takes far longer than taking a car and spending an extra couple of dollars on parking. With a $436M budget and upwards of 100,000 dedicated riders that amounts to $4360/rider, per year. You could buy them their own cars for that. Basically, there’s a lot that can be fixed without defaulting to the “throw more money at it” solution. Make MARTA more efficient, more consistent, improve quality of service, adopt the graduated pricing system that other systems (such as DC’s) use, and at least work on MARTA’s image to folks who would like to use it but find it a frustrating waste of their own time and effort.
itpdude
February 2nd, 2010
2:51 pm
I love all the people on here who take welfare transportation. I mean, take I-85 or 75 or 20 or any other road except for GA 400.
All transportation is public transportation. Part of the transportation solution is with MARTA.
Two suggestions for MARTA: Make it toll-free like every other road in GA (except for 400) and put it under state control. It is a part of a regional transportation network and should be treated thusly.
TnGelding
February 2nd, 2010
3:00 pm
Sonny is the best bet. Call his office right now and demand action. Public transportation benefits us all.
Chris
February 2nd, 2010
3:33 pm
Let Atlanta pay for MARTA and leave the rest of us out of the mess their years of mismanagement created.
It’s pretty simple folks: raise fairs, cut services, find a combination of both, or make other cuts to MARTA that will help avoid a reduction in service. When my family faces challenging financial decisions, we tighten our belt!
newkid
February 2nd, 2010
3:39 pm
ACC Booster, it seems clear we’re great at utilizing ALL the oxygen in the region to express opinions for or agin options that would effectively and efficiently move people about in the region, but not very apt to get much work done. In Shanghai they’re opting for action over bluster, and the results speak for themselves. In so many ways I wonder how we’ll appear – in a couple of years – to many Asians countries from their rear-view mirrors?
Frequent Flyboy
February 2nd, 2010
3:44 pm
The problem is that Marta has missed the bus. This sin’t New York, we have no inherent straphanger mentality. Marta rail was a huge missed opportunity. No one can believe that Marta doesn’t go to Turner Field but that’s only the most obvious screwup. Marta doesn’t go to Emory, [because the Druid Hills liberals have a little Gwinnetian in them, I'm just saying]. Marta doesn’t go to South Dekalb. People with options – of all races – are not going to ride a bus.
professional skeptic
February 2nd, 2010
3:58 pm
Chris
February 2nd, 2010
3:33 pm
“Let Atlanta pay for MARTA…”
Chris: Atlanta would love to pay for MARTA, but Big State Government won’t let us raise funds to do that. You see, we would like to have rail transit expand and go all over the city. If it served more destinations, we would get a whole lot more out of it.
BUT… Georgia Conservatives love Big Government. They adore being in a position of centralized power, telling Atlantans what we can and cannot do with our own money. Don’t get me wrong– when it comes to existing Atlanta tax dollars, Georgia Conservatives will spread the wealth (Obama style, right?) all over the state to build and maintain luxurious 4-lane highways in remote places that don’t need them. But when it comes to letting Atlanta raise its own additional funds to build the kind of rail transit that it needs– Big Government kicks in and just says NO.
In short, we’ve been trying to raise funds for years, but Big Government says no. Why do Georgia Conservatives love Big Government?
MDivine
February 2nd, 2010
4:13 pm
@Frequent Flyer:
Yep…ppl (regardless of race) will not use MARTA as an option because is it not as convenient to some locations as driving. No one is going to trade off a 15 minute ride for a 1 hour and 15 minute bus/rail commute.
Unfortunately, I think that the best time for a more comprehensive regional transportation system for the ATL Metro was at its inception. MARTA has maxed its administrative areas within Fulton and Dekalb counties. The population and job growth outside of these areas was not accurately anticipated more than 30 years ago by many in this region. I do not believe that there is any feasible way to restructure the public transit system in this region to make it more viable as an transportation option for many people.
John
February 2nd, 2010
4:16 pm
Clearly, no one (at least on this page of comments) knows the first thing about how mass transit systems work. Furthermore, its also obvious that no one seems to have an attention span beyond the time it took to write their comment. If the ninth largest public transit system in the country (connected, I might add, to the “World’s Busiest Airport”) is allowed to fail because our legislators don’t want to take the time to formulate a profitable plan, then I welcome the utter chaos that will ensue. 20% or higher unemployment. Further racial disharmony. Skyrocketing crime rates. The ignorant comments I’ve read so far make such little sense, I can’t believe any of your brains can generate enough power to move your legs. MARTA IS profitable as long as its given the leeway so many other industries have in this Republican-induced disaster of an economy. What a collection of complete idiots…We ALL use MARTA even if you don’t personally. Your cost of living in the metro area is so cheap because of the industry that comes to town. Your quality of life is better than most American cities because of all the money that gets pumped into the local economy through conventions and special events. Your athletes remain competitive because people can get to the events via public transit. MARTA benefits everyone. We’re going to fight for this and anyone that wants to debate the lack of merit in MARTA getting its due better be prepared to lose. The age of conservative thinking on this issue is over.
Swede Atlanta
February 2nd, 2010
4:33 pm
Ref: John @ 4:16
Here..here…
As goes Atlanta, so goes the rest of Georgia. I think we can all agree there are things that could be done better around MARTA and regional transportation generally. Should we have distance-based pricing? Yes. Why should someone going from Arts Center to Lindbergh pay the same as someone going from Perimeter to the airport? Are there efficiencies that could be had. Of course.
But the bottom line is we all lose if MARTA fails. We will be negatively impacted if MARTA significantly reduces frequencies/time of operation. Last year they proposed eliminating Friday service. Where did that come from? The last time I checked that was a workday for most people who work a Monday through Friday work week. Equally important is service on the weekends as people travel to/from sporting and cultural events all over the city.
dewstarpath
February 2nd, 2010
4:34 pm
JMoore at 12:59 pm
- Bob the Slob was probably talking about YOU.
MARTA = Mostly Arrogant Rednecks Trailing Affluence
dewstarpath
February 2nd, 2010
4:40 pm
- And Outhouse GoKart is Smashsmeesha Axelfraud in disguise
(et. al.) – going “undercover” as a result of getting kicked off
Jay’s blog.
ODD OWL
February 2nd, 2010
4:57 pm
Georgia need a high speed rail system and more interstate expressways. Moderate Republican Rep. Charlie Norwood who represented the 10th district before he died, twice introduced legislation in the House transportation bill to expand State Route 78 in Eastern Georgia into a 4 lane interstate expressway system, which would begin in Chattanooga Tenn. and run south through the 10th district all the way to Augusta and then go west to macon, connect with I-20 and from Macaon to Mobile, Ala.. Newt Gingrich and the Republicans removed this project from the final transportation bills twice. Route 78 has been classified as one of the top five mosr dangerous highways in America. It has dozens of deep curves with 45 MPH speed limits. Speeding tractor-trailer trucks make up most of the traffic on this highway of death. The expansion of Route 78 is a perfect project for the stimulus package. It would create thousands of jobs and bring billions of dollars into eastern Georgia, which is the poorest region of the State. But neo-con Republican Rep. Paul Broun never presented this proposal to the Democrat controlled House and he never requested any stimulus money to construct the highway system. Instead he’s running around the district throwing copies of the health care bill on the floor, yelling and screaming, “cut spending, cut spending,” posturing and attempting to score cheap political points. Paul Broun is incompetent and inept. He hasn’t done anything for the 10th district. The voters sent Paul Broun to Congress to bring home the bacon, but he came back with a slab of fatback and a pocket full of lame a$$ excuses. Paul Broun is a miserable failure. We need new blood, we need a Democrat Congressman in the 10th district.
ACC Booster
February 2nd, 2010
5:04 pm
John, Swede Atlanta: Hate to burst your bubble but the many of the people who control the purse strings for transportation and the state budget as a whole, in the Statehouse don’t care how much MARTA positvely impacts the Atlanta economy, and by extension, the Georgia economy. Many state legislators and the people that elect them throughout the rest of state, outside the Perimeter, don’t like MARTA, buses, trains, mass transit or even the concept of diverse cosmopolitan urban life for that matter. Georgia is the reddest of the red states so any proposal to increase taxes for any reason, but especially for mass transit in a not-too-well liked urban area just isn’t going to go over too well in the current political climate under the gold dome that is lacking real visionary leadership and fearsome of a national atmosphere within the conservative base of the Republican Party that includes tea parties, tax revolts and voter anger over the massive expansion of government that has taken place recently in the midst of an election year. Just witness Governor Sonny-Do-Nothing’s proposal to kick the can down the road to 2012.
DT
February 2nd, 2010
5:23 pm
raise fares, that’s easy. If someone can’t afford a few more dollars to ride Marta, then unless the government is going to decide that a Marta fare is right and not a privilege, then there will be a few less riders.
Oh, I also believe that gas taxes should be raised (a lot, like 50c/gallon). The only people who should pay for roads are those that use them (burn gas, etc.)
State Employee
February 2nd, 2010
5:38 pm
Way to go Sonny, Marta has been bleeding for years, yes all 7 years of your terror and yet you do nothing to assist them. $300 m in bonds and none go to Marta is the worst waste of government activities, not to mention that the State (GOVERNOR) provides money to GRTA for new buses and a new maintenance facility and they provide a small percentage of the passenger trips in Atlanta. I guess Dick Anderson not only got his sweet $$$ job for kissing Sonny right, but Transportation leadership still remains at large…Hey maybe if Sonny went fishing in his Bass Lake he could find the answer….Such a Waste of Time and Money, Sonny leave now and take Dick, Jim and GDOT with you..Let a Real Leader Take Over….
ACC Booster
February 2nd, 2010
5:40 pm
ODD OWL: I agree with at least part of the proposal to make substantial safety improvements to Highway 78. I have a job that takes me around the state at times and I’ve experienced that dangerous section of Highway 78 from Athens on east thru Washington and beyond. I’ve also experienced the slow four-lane section of 78 from Loganville to Athens which laden with stoplights and small towns setup as nothing more than revenue-producing speedtraps.
Highway 78 should be converted to an interstate-quality tollroad with a 70 MPH speed limit between Loganville and Athens with the Loganville end hooking into a tolled bypass that hooks into Ronald Reagan Parkway and I-85 at the west end and Loop 10 around Athens at the east end. From Athens through Lexington and on to Washington, Hwy 78 should be widened to four lanes because as you stated, that road is, literally a nightmare. I should know because I stuck behind a slow moving 18-wheeler trying to navigate the rolling terrain and sharp curves one night while driving to Athens from Washington.
Hwy 316 from I-85 to Athens should also be converted to an interstate-quality tollway with separated-grade intersections free lanes with at-grade intersections on the outside. Both roads should be complemented by commuter-rail or light-rail in the form of the “Brain-Train” that is part of a wider reformed system of bike, bus, commuter-rail, light-rail, heavy-rail, trolley, tolled-lanes, tollroads, free-lanes and freeways that covers all of Georgia, but especially traffic and transportation-challenged North Georgia above the Gnat Line. Investments in all modes of transportation from bike to rail to road to boat are very critical because they keep traffic, freight and most importantly, people moving, something North Georgia is having substantial issues with at this moment, especially at full-employment.
I know that alot of transit advocates like to “rail” against the funding of the building and maintenance of roads of any kind, especially through rural areas, but Georgia is also lacking in its road infrastructure as well as its rail infrastructure. These four-lane roads that Metro Atlantans hate seeing built have made my job a helluva lot easier and if they were in a state like Florida might be paralleled by an interstate-quality tollroad, because as we saw with the multibillion dollar-grant that they were awarded for high-speed rail last week, Florida invests in all modes of infrastructure while Georgia only invests in excuses why it can’t and it won’t!
Enrique
February 2nd, 2010
6:00 pm
Thanks for the article coverage did see some under contruction in MARTA train line from Doravile to Airport hope some of that money puts to good use. $30.00
SOOHSO
February 2nd, 2010
6:16 pm
451th
hryder
February 2nd, 2010
7:31 pm
This is what eventually occurs with services that are not financed by the people who are the clients. When financial conditions require that cuts be made and fares do not equal the difference between tax susidies and expenditures the service ceases or is greatly curtailed. Providing more tax money is not an option as most people’s income has decreased. Raise the fees charged for the service or stop the service, put the service for sale to highest bidder, and keep the government out of providing services that are not required or used by most people.
Gregory
February 2nd, 2010
8:18 pm
Georgia lost out on hundreds of millions of dollars for not investing seriously in Marta and other mass transit projects
DMB
February 3rd, 2010
9:32 am
NRB2, what is this going rate that you keep speaking of? I have had to ride a train in several cities the last year and they were all different.
And by the way, some of who ride aren’t ‘thieves, druggies and prostitutes’ you ignorant ass. Some of us use it and rely on it to get to work.
budman
February 3rd, 2010
9:43 am
niggardly in niggardly out—you get what you pay for….
AJC Basher
February 3rd, 2010
1:14 pm
Marta didn’t fail … Atlanta failed. It was a transit matrix designed to bring people downtown to work. No one – other than imprisoned bureaucrats and jurors – goes downtown anymore. Even Mr. Bookman’s employers closed up their shop amidst the fast food wrappers blowing down Marietta Street.
Reason
February 4th, 2010
2:39 pm
Thank you Jay for an informative article. Yes, there are many of us downtown who ride Marta daily, it’s better than sitting in traffic, saves on wear and tear on my car. …and those who complain can never be pleased anyways, they just need some cheese with their wine.
Instead of an us versus them mentality, here’s a novel concept over many people’s heads, how about a we mentality, after all there are over 6 Billion of us on this planet.
stevie b
February 4th, 2010
7:30 pm
Please note: This comes from a card-carrying (former) Teamsters Union member who agrees with Jay on virtually every issue. The problem with Marta you have bus drivers and texters (er’, “Train Operators” that is) make upwards of $100,000 a year (some make more) including their numerous benefits.Other than when a few routes have been cut back, they have not suffered at all from the recession like those of us in private industry ans some in public (teachers). There are thousands of qualified (it doesn’t take a college degree) people who would be more than happy to do the same work for half what MARTA drivers make. Sorry- that’s not the mark of an efficient agency. Yes it will be difficult to make the necessary changes. It may require bankrupting MARTA (ala GM and Delta) to force the Unions to be reasonable. But it absolutely must be done. No one with any sense wants to pay more state taxes to support these outrageous wages.
Virginia
February 9th, 2010
9:06 pm
Maybe, the toll can help pay for public transit the way the lottery pays for education. MARTA cuts service,especially to the suburbs,and you’ll have more cars on the road ( because including those who shouldn’t be driving are forced to because they can no longer rely on MARTA and the rest will be stranded).I wish everyone like Finn McCool could go back to their cars,but they can’t and folks in the burbs pay taxes to support MARTA whereas there are those folks in South Dekalb and South Fulton who don’t, yet get better service and hardly any cutbacks in service. I know; I’ve ridden MARTA over 30 years and used to live in Chamblee. They cut my bus because there weren’t enough blacks riding it(that’s what the survey-takers would say before my services were cut each time-the Asians,hispanics, and disabled didn’t matter to them). And making those in the northern suburbs pay more to ride MARTA because you think only whites live out there reminds me of an Eddie Murphy skit about honky night (”make the honky pay for it”).The CEO,before this one squandered the money and cut out services;no doubt, this CEO is doing the same all over again.
vincemig
February 10th, 2010
4:03 pm
I have a disability that doesn’t allow me to drive. I went to school, graduated and now get to work because of MARTA. Without it I’d be screwed. To the people who say that we should just get rid of it, you are more blind than I am.
Eric
February 21st, 2010
1:21 am
AJC Basher,
There are many jobs in Atlanta. I work downtown myself and I moved into the city from Sandy Springs so that I would have a shorter commute. The AJC moving out of downtown has more to do with the financial decline of newspapers across the United States than with the viability and vitality or your view of a lack thereof in downtown Atlanta.
Eric
February 21st, 2010
1:22 am
stevie b,
What is your source for bus drivers and train operators making up to $100,000 a year. I have never seen an articles on the salary of MARTA employees.
Houckster
March 2nd, 2010
9:12 am
The amount of silliness I hear from those who think that all MARTA has to do is raise its rates and that all government enterprise is doomed to failure is simply incredible. And it’s lazy thinking to boot.
Perhaps a little consideration of the costs to the metro area if MARTA fails would be in order. Wait – what am I saying? That would mean looking at issues and that might conflict with what they want to believe. The real truth is that such people are out for #1 and the heck with everyone else.
Houckster
March 2nd, 2010
9:16 am
One other thing I’ve noticed about these folks: They have a need to vilify everyone they don’t think is one of them. I’m a hard worker, they’re the freeloaders.