Rail in Savannah

[iluvcport]

Do you think some type of rail transportation would benefit Savannah? I think a system could work here primarily with a line basically replacing the 14 Abercorn bus. As well as exploring other options such as an express train linking the airport with downtown. Post you comments and opinions on this.

[912]

Nope, won't work in Savannah. We love our cars way too much.

The closest thing we'll see is some kind of express bus service. I doubt we'd ever see light rail here.

[Nitro]

I doubt we'd ever see light rail here.

[912]

Yes, the River St. rail had been discussed, and as a tourist-mover, nothing more. I haven't heard any talk about that or a MLK line in years. I think it's safe to say both proposals are dead.

[iluvcport]

Nope, won't work in Savannah. We love our cars way too much.

The closest thing we'll see is some kind of express bus service. I doubt we'd ever see light rail here.

[912]

I don't doubt what you're saying, but as a native Savannahian, I can tell you that light rail simply won't be built here. As it stands now, there would be no support for the tax increase it would take to build such a system. Chatham County is overtaxed as it is now, plus we simply don't have the population base to make light rail remotely viable here.

People here still remember the boondoggle race track on Hutchison Island, built with taxpayer funds. I'd fear light rail would be a more expensive one.

[cocateho]

i highly doubt it happening soon but another ten years maybe cosidering growth in west chatham and effingham if we had one going out there.

[Spartan]

Maybe not an LRT, because Savannah is a fairly compact city... but a trolley for the historic district like New Orleans or San Francisco is not out of the question. Savannah is in a unique position as the trend of reinvestment in urban places continues because most of its housing stock is still available. You could easily increase density in and around downtown without building any new housing and just fixing what is there.... transit then wouldn't be that much of a stretch.

[Southron]

^ Streetcars would be a great fit, complementing downtown tourism. If I remember right, there was a proposal (or discussion) about 4 or 5 years ago, but it didn't get anywhere.

[aboutmetro]

Discuss ARRA stimulus transportation projects in Georgia - Link to the Urban Planet Forum

[aboutmetro]

The new vision - website here - Of course, being in West GA, this isn't exactly great news for this side of the state...

[WanderingImport]

Unfortunately, in Savannah's immediate future, I don't see any light rail around here. I'm a bit more optimistic about the next 50 years though. I believe our area would benefit EXTREMELY well with light rail going from Downtown Savannah to places like Tybee Island, Savannah Int'l Airport and possibly places like Hilton Head or even Statesboro. The latter most likely wouldn't fly until the next half century however. I guess it all really depends on growth patterns. ...I do believe in the long run, though, development between Statesboro/Brooklet and Bloomingdale/Guyton will come closer to merging. That'll take a long while though. Not in my lifetime.