Dear Mr. Lowry,
To answer your question : Do we really want more of this? My answer is YES, YES, YES. Mass transit contributes greatly to relieving traffic problems in Metro Atlanta. Currently MARTA is the only mass transit system in a greater Metro are in the USA that receives ZERO financing from the state within which it operates. Yet, the state legislature has the power and uses it to determine how MARTA'S revenues are spent. The terrible traffic congestion has many factors but a key one is that the counties refused to cooperate with Fulton and DeKalb when Marta was starting its expansion into rail in the 70's. Snobbism, racism, fear all played into those decisions. And now the entire Metro area is paying the price. While the rest of the world hurls into the 21st century with mass transit, high speed rail and other creative alternatives to the individual in a car, Georgia and Metro Atlanta's opponents seemed to determined to keep us stuck in the 20th or maybe they would even prefer the 19th century? By definition "transportation" means " moving across" , it is not specifically a definition for cars. You must plan now for the future generations who according to the most recent surveys do not see themselves mowing suburban lawns or owning cars. Embrace change or risk irrelevance.

You've heard about the Trolley car from Hell in downtown Atlanta? This makes that look like a matchbox toy funding project. I implore every citizen of our State to get the facts like ones listed above & call your Legislator. Let them know the Project list is wrong; as such you want fiscally sound projects that will not commingle any new funds to bail out existing budget busters or money losing Projects like MARTA. Entities must stand on their own. If we think losing 475 million a year is not good enough with MARTA as ridership decreases annually - wait until we have to swallow 3 BILLION in loses & maintenance on these proposed rail projects.

I agree that Marta must be improved but how can it improve serrvice which would increase ridership (you say that ridership is down) when the legislature decides that 50% of all revenues must go to capital improvements not to service? As for the trolley, I am still out on that one. I do know that the trolley in Seattle has proven to be a great success.
Interesting, that the "well travelled, well educated people" of Metro brag about how they use mass transit "the metro", " the Tube", the "Sbahn" when they are travelling abroad but when they return they return to their cocoon mentality and get back in their cars. Time for an attitude adjustment or the Metro area will die of axphxiation from it's own exhaust fumes.
I just wish I owned the company that makes the orange barrels that are omnipresent. That is the real waste of money...$80.00 per barrel at last count.

Gentlemen,
Quick question: Have any of you ever used Marta connecting bus to train or the reverse? And I don't mean to a Braves game. And done it consistently to continue your daily living. All of your numbers seem to have forgotten the human element who actually use Marta.

I agree with you, Greg, about a comprehensive system that goes North to South into the airport. Yet, just this week the new international terminal at a cost of 1.4 billion dollars opened and guess what? You can take Marta to the domestic (formerly the entire terminal) and then make your way to a shuttle bus for a 12 min ride to the new state of the art international terminal. International passenger traffic is predicted to expand to almost 10 million in the next 3 years. Imagine, if only 5% of each arriving plane of passengers want to use Marta. They will wait for a bus or many busses to fill , shuttle, return, fill , shuttle etc. The reason: Cost projections of 350million...yet there is light rail from the main terminal to the rental car lot. I am sure that didn't cost anywhere near 350 million dollars. But I bet the taxi companies and the rental car companies made sure that the airport officials were pressured or coereced into no options except theirs for arriving and departing international passengers. So when people start complaining about mismanagement, corruption, special interest and money, remember that every arriving, changing planes and departing passenger in Atlanta pays a PFC to the airport. But who decides where that money goes? Just rambling thoughts about a very important issue.

Take an areal view of the airport. Look at all the parking that currently exists that could be built upon for multiple parking lots. By simply building parking garages, I'd increase parking at the airport 4 fold. The airport would receive all the parking funds to continue to build more parking inside airport property lines. Nice revenue for the airport and direct benefit for the user.

You've got my problem with the current proposal. See how cheaply and easily I can solve problems, yet our current officials are inept for reasons you mentioned.

Vote no to this boondoggle.

And this just in: Eurostar trains has captured have 85% market share of trip between London/ Paris, Brussells because it is more efficient to travel among those cities by train rather than a plane. Germany is building a newer high speed rail train to connect cities. And here in Atlanta, we are still discussing the simple value of mass transit vs cars. There are many reasons that Marta has shortcomings but the fact that their revenues are controlled by a legislature that doesn't use mass transit could be the biggest problem. Take away the taxpayer funded cars and gas cards and find out how quickly we get some effective mass transit in Metro Atlanta and around the state. Imagine a train from Atlanta to Savannah, Valdosta, Augusta in 1 hr? The economic impact from this connectivity would be immeasurable. But no, the lobbyists who represent road paving, orange barrels, black top, car insurance have spoken. So Bob, it seems the only people trying to legislate your behavior are your elected officials when they don't give you a satisfactory option to the car because they are "beholding" to another interest and its' not ours.

Megabus from the UK has arrived in Atlanta and other cities in the US. check them out for short haul trips in the SE.

Say no to this crazy T-SPLOST. I agree with the other comments mentioned already. I don't trust MARTA worth a damn. Fulton and DeKalb counties have both been paying the penny sales tax and will do so for a 30-year period. I lived in DeKalb for many years and officials there did not keep their promise to residents and businesses alike. They promised to extend rail line into East DeKalb for years, and it never materialized. Why? Because previous MARTA executives have squandered funding that have been provided to them. Where is the ROI for the years of taxes they paid for "regional" transit? If MARTA leadership had not abused their funding, the system would have been in better shape financially and services in other parts of Fulton and DeKalb would have been provided.

Yes, I understand that the rest of Metro Atlanta should have pitched in and joined MARTA years ago (which is part of the reason why we have this hellish traffic now), but real problem is the greed and corruption of MARTA itself. And now the state wants to create a plan to address an issue that been in existence for over 20 years?? These incompetent board members are the same ones that implemented the plan to convert Gwinnett's HOV lanes into a "HOT" lanes. Absolutely stupid idea!!! Are you kidding me???

I guess the rest of Metro Atlanta has finally realized that more roads cannot be the only solution to stop traffic here in Atlanta. Wow!!

Say HELL NO to this T-SPLOST plan.

Atlanta-metro traffic congestion is a nightmare and unfortunately, our legislature isn't willing to propose a real solution. Their solution is to have us to voluntarily increase our sales taxes to solve "our" traffic problems. However, Atlanta's traffic isn't just "our" problem!

Three major interstate flow through metro-Atlanta and they contribute greatly to our congestion. Individuals from all over the country travel through our city daily on the way to some destination. Businesses in Savannah, Macon, Columbus, and south Georgia transport goods through Atlanta. However, neither the traveling public nor the businesses traveling through metro-Atlanta will contribute (or contribute much) to our roadway improvements. Just us...the citizens of the Atlanta region.

And while we're paying the additional 1% sales tax, how much gas tax money are we sending to south, east and west Georgia? How much money have we already sent to them? The last I checked, they have ample infrastructure and aren't voting on their own T-Splost...thanks to us!

Our legislature likes to divide the citizens of the state. They like to pit one group against another. They like to say "this is your problem, the solution is up to you". However, traffic congestion is Georgia's problem and all Georgians should pay to solve it.

In my opinion, the state should increase the income tax rates by 1/2%. That'll solve the problem! Everyone Benefits...Everyone Pays.

Mr. Lowry,
I am well aware of the density of European cities and how they arrived at their composition. I have travelled to 80 countries in the last 35 years. You are right low density of Atlanta. And while that had appeal in years past, I think it would be enlightening for you to check out the recent surveys done of the future workers and home buyers that we are actually paving the way for in this city. They don't want sprawl, lawns, or even cars in many cases. As for your comment about dominating the conversation, last time I checked this was an open forum. You started the conversation and the rest of us have continued it. Enjoy your weekend. You can probably wash your car.

Yes, wash your car and support a local business that has to operate in the black. And is based upon meeting your needs and being responsive to you. Not being supported by the unproductive expensive confiscatory government.

Mr. Burrows, I meant YOU wash your own car not have someone do it for you. That is taking personal responsibility for your car washing...not delegating it to someone else.

@janet h russell :You may have had the privileged to be a world traveler; most are not. The Elders of the European movement here as Citizens would tell you ( I personally know this because of my linage) that not only is the total dynamic such as the population density indifferent but if we continue down this path of taxation & Social Engineering as it were they would have stayed in their Country. Your either not listening to those who write about common sense solutions or you don't want to here them. The idea that some how in very Rural area like lets say Cherokee County a Project like this Billion dollar Albatross is plausible solution to traffic congestion,so be it - is preposterous. Anyone in could conscience cannot either. The advocates of the project list stopped selling it that way months ago and admit it. I suggest you go to the debate at the Bluffs tomorrow night; listen & learn and be part of the solution not a agenda driven ideologue. I'm all ears on this one. To date I have heard very little that offers real solutions for the kind of money we are asking the tax payer to dole up here forever - yes and it is forever like forever and then some. It's flat out wrong and deceptive.

One option I havent heard anyone speak about but seems perfect for Atlanta wouldnt require anymore government envolvement. Or money given to government. It might potientially change the traditional work week a little, but the trade off would be well worth it if what used to take you two hours now only takes thirty to forty- five minutes. Cooperation of sorts between companies to stage work weeks or work time. Example, Three long days to satisfy work hours. Of course this would take some getting used to, but to every disadvantage there are advantages also. The companies would have more workers trained evenually to fill the gaps from various traffic zones. The home stresses and burn out factor would drastically go down. I didnt suppose it was an easy idea, but Im tired of traffic and tired of wasted money to people who lie for a living. I used to hear stories about an America that didnt wait for Uncle Sam to come in and change the diaper. I wish that was the one somebody was handing me instead of this smelly load.