“Mass transit is collapsing everywhere,” argues an op-ed in The Hlll. One such collapse is taking place in Atlanta, where ridership has fallen more than 20 percent since 2008.
In 1980, transit carried more than 9 percent of Atlanta-area commuters to work, and ridership peaked in 1985 at 155.7 million trips. Since then, the Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Transit Agency has added 28 miles of rail lines, more than doubling the length of its heavy-rail system. The region’s population has grown from less than 1.9 million to 5.0 million people, an increase of 166 percent.
So how many rides did transit carry in 2017? About 131.3 million, a 15 percent decline from 1985. Worse, transit trips per capita crashed from 82 in 1985 to just 26 in 2017, a 68 percent decline, while transit carried just 3.8 percent of commuters to work in 2016.
So what is the region going to do? Build more rail, of course! The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) persuaded voters to approve a sales tax increase in 2016 that is expected to generate $2.5 billion over the next 40 years, and the agency wants to blow most of its on building 21 miles of light rail.
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For rail advocates, building rail lines is the solution to any transportation problem — and when the first rail lines fail, the answer is always to build even more. Atlanta’s rail system has virtually destroyed the region’s transit program, yet advocates claim it is because only three of the region’s five central counties agreed to build it. When Atlanta’s streetcar ridership dropped 58 percent after the city started charging for rides, advocates claimed the answer was to expand the system.
So naturally, rail advocates want even more than 21 miles of new rail lines. They would like a 22-mile light-rail loop around the city (only 7 miles of which are included in MARTA’s plan) plus several extensions to the existing heavy-rail system. Left open is the question of why Atlanta should build any light rail at all when buses can easily move more people.
The answer, apparently, is that none of these ideas have anything to do with moving people. Instead, Atlanta is one of the best demonstrations that the transit industry today exists primarily to earn profits for bond dealers, contractors, and developers.
When a young governor sees a series of spending packets brought to his desk his first instinct is to say NO.
A terrible one will look at it and pass it eventually. After all he’ll be out of office by the time the financial bill is on the table or when contract re-negotiation takes place.
The stigma between Bus and Train, the mediocrity of the bus vs. the prestige of the rails. Paraphrasing a former mayor of Los Angeles, Hensher tells CityLab there’s an overwhelming perception “that buses are boring and trains are sexy.” That mindset complicates the discussion of mass transit plans in growing metros: though advanced bus systems can perform as well or better than streetcar or light rail systems for less money, people would rather have trains. In previous work, Hensher has called this emotional preference a “blind commitment”
When you focus on what really matters—service—much of the difference and stigmatization actually disappears. The enthusiasm (almost blind commitment) for LRT [light rail] has caused many to overlook the potential for more cost-effective bus-based systems and even simpler improvements to bus services that do not require dedicated right of way or dedicated Bond measures.
If they really wanna sell trains “image” to people; do what Hollywood does every day…………Fake it.
Give em buses that look like trains.
http://insideofknoxville.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Modern-Bus.jpg
Problem solved.
Lazy Reader,
I’d argue that the focus on trains stems from two different desires. One is the civic jewelry aspect with Rail service signaling that the local in question is indeed and modern cosmopolitan city. During a Q&A session regarding the ATL Streetcar, the Chamber of Commerce outright stated that they weren’t building it ‘for you’. The implication being that Millenials and new tech companies like these things so to stay competitive Atlanta needs one as well.
The other reason for the focus on trains is that particular mode of transit is the only kind middle class residents and above will pay for and potentially ride. Neither one of these of course actually focuses on truly moving people in, out and around the city.
So do you guys expect those 5 foot wide streches of concrete next to streets to be profitable? :$