Metro with Best Transit Plans?

[Lady Celeste]

Great news from the Atlanta transit scene.

Fluton County has approved the Beltline project. Joining the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta School Board, the Beltline has been given the go ahead. Bonds will be issued early next year and construction of the full project should began in earnest. The Beltline will increase transit options within the city immensely. Not only will one have the option for heavy rail travel on MARTA, but there will be either LRT or HRT on the Beltline circling the inner city.

Specifics:

The Beltline Emerald Necklace will consist of 2,544-acres of new, expanded, and existing parkland combined with new park-centered mixed-use development. Specifically, it will include the following:

- 1,401 acres of new or expanded parkland

- 613 acres of existing parkland

- 530 acres of new mixed-use housing development

- A 23-mile Beltline Trail for running, walking, and bicycling

- A 20-mile Beltline Transit that will connect into MARTA at one existing and three new stations

Collectively, the Beltline will integrally connect the city

[rocky top buzz]

I don't consider the Memphis streetcar as a rail line. Nashville has the most promise for growth with the first leg of their commuter rail opening in a few months.

So I'd say you left off Nashville

[bobliocatt]

^Why not? It's a train that runs on railroad tracks and many residents use it to get to jobs along its route.

[sleepy]

I don't consider the Memphis streetcar as a rail line. Nashville has the most promise for growth with the first leg of their commuter rail opening in a few months.

So I'd say you left off Nashville

The American Public Transportation Association classifies Memphis' system as light rail.

It's 3 lines totaling 7 miles. January--June 05, it carried 463,000 passengers. That's only 3000 a day, but that's a usable system.

The recently opened Madison line was built LRT ready--in other words it will be run with new LRT equipment not streetcars to the airport when that route is finalized. LRT ready means that the overhead electric was built to accomodate the "double poles" on new LRT cars as opposed the single poles on streetcars.

Memphis' proposed LRT lines in purple:

[soverbey]

I don't consider the Memphis streetcar as a rail line. Nashville has the most promise for growth with the first leg of their commuter rail opening in a few months.

So I'd say you left off Nashville

NASHVILLE SUX

[ncguy06]

NASHVILLE SUX

you might as well go ahead and log off the site.

[Lacharm]

this forum is funny. atlanta and charlotte wins all the polls, and neither usually are supposed to win. there is no way any city on the list beats out d.c., dallas, and miami. no way. those three cities have the best rail systems in the south, and probably the best plans for expansion. marta is nice, but it doesnt even compare. the politics of it going to the suburbs are hendering it.

[kayman]

this forum is funny. atlanta and charlotte wins all the polls, and neither usually are supposed to win. there is no way any city on the list beats out d.c., dallas, and miami. no way. those three cities have the best rail systems in the south, and probably the best plans for expansion. marta is nice, but it doesnt even compare. the politics of it going to the suburbs are hendering it.

I would agree. There are not enough members from the other cities on board to give these types of polls a fair consensus. I would have to say MATA in Memphis is the best plan I have seen. They are building their system based on ridership not based on projections that may not come to fruition. Also some of the cities in these mentioned are just too sprawled out that any of their current plan would even be efficient in the next 5 years.

[eastsider]

DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) began work this summer on its phase II light-rail expansion. The project will cost ~$2.4 billion and will double the size of the rail network from the current 45 miles to 90 miles. The new lines are scheduled to come online between 2009-2013.

Current system map:

Future light-rail lines:

The Green Line (northwest/southeast corridor) will fully come on line in 2011 and connect area such as Fair Park, Deep Ellum, Victory Park, Love Field, and Farmers Branch.

The Orange Line (Irving extension) will come on line in 2013 and will have stations in Las Colinas and D/FW Airport.

The Blue Line will be extended from Garland to Rowlett by 2012.

DART also recently approved its long range 2030 plan. It calls for the addition of 43 miles of rail lines which will mostly be made up of the 26-mile express rail line connecting north Dallas towns to D/FW Airport and a 6-mile West Dallas LRT line. There are also plans for 20 miles of rapid bus service, 77 miles of enhanced bus corridors, and 166 miles of HOV lanes. Work on these projects will not begin until around 2020 and come on line between 2025-2030.

Also this month, the voters of Grapevine approved a 1/2 cent sales tax to join the T (Fort Worth Transportation Authority). They are planning a 40-mile commuter rail line that would connect Southwest Fort Worth, Downtown Foet Worth, TCU, The Stockyards, downtown Grapevine, and D/FW Airport where it would share a station with the future DART light-rail line. They hope to have this line running by 2012.

[kmccloud]

the plans for dallas look impressive. i think charlotte's system will turn out nice as well. atlanta has a decent system, but needs way more routes. dc has the best transit in the country outside of new york, without any doubt, but it also could use more routes. but i don't care what anyone says, dc is not the south. i just wish charlotte (and i guess dallas, but i've never been there) had started work on these projects 10-20 years ago. this country is so far behind when it comes to transit, it's ridiculous.

[803metlife]

this forum is funny. atlanta and charlotte wins all the polls, and neither usually are supposed to win. there is no way any city on the list beats out d.c., dallas, and miami. no way. those three cities have the best rail systems in the south, and probably the best plans for expansion. marta is nice, but it doesnt even compare. the politics of it going to the suburbs are hendering it.

[lammius]

I don't know that I'd say Houston (with one light rail line) can be considered "light years ahead" of most of these other cities when it comes to rail transit or rail transit planning. I'm also unaware of any aggressive plans to add new lines and develop a rail transit network there.

Dallas is moving and shaking a bit, and DC is moving forward with the Purple Line and the Dulles extension.

[803metlife]

I don't know that I'd say Houston (with one light rail line) can be considered "light years ahead" of most of these other cities when it comes to rail transit or rail transit planning. I'm also unaware of any aggressive plans to add new lines and develop a rail transit network there.

Dallas is moving and shaking a bit, and DC is moving forward with the Purple Line and the Dulles extension.

[tracer1138]

I have to say the Detroit to Ann Arbor Commuter Rail but only for one, specific reason.

Detroit is the car capitol of the US, has lost 50% of its population, is one of the most violent cities in the US, is arguably one of the most racially segregated cities in the US and has some the worst politicians and most divisive regional infighting of any Major city, therefore, the fact that any proposal can get as far as this one has after the countless proposals that have come before it and have failed is a miracle and a true sign of some kind of divine intervention.

This region has thirsted for transit for too long.

Let us at long last drink of it.

God wants this project to happen i say!

[bpoulos]

first time poster long time reader....D.C. is obviously the best and following that it is Atlanta no other city in the south has a well planned rail, while there are cities like Dallas that are planning impressive expansions lets keep in mind that Atl has had its system since the 70's I have lived in many of these cities and I have found that outside of NYC CHI DC that ATL has a great rail...not saying that it does not have a lot of room for improvement but compared to the rest of the other cities it is far superior. those that disagree have probably been day visitors or people that do not live close to the rail. currently i live in chicago and i find that i have to walk at least a mile to a rail line or a mile or more off of a rail to get to my destination so atlanta's lack of arterial expansion is not something to gawk at...with the beltline the transit will truly help create one of the more efficient inner city efficient rail networks, now if only the state of georgia would get behind commuter rail!

[Martinman]

first time poster long time reader....D.C. is obviously the best and following that it is Atlanta no other city in the south has a well planned rail, while there are cities like Dallas that are planning impressive expansions lets keep in mind that Atl has had its system since the 70's I have lived in many of these cities and I have found that outside of NYC CHI DC that ATL has a great rail...not saying that it does not have a lot of room for improvement but compared to the rest of the other cities it is far superior. those that disagree have probably been day visitors or people that do not live close to the rail. currently i live in chicago and i find that i have to walk at least a mile to a rail line or a mile or more off of a rail to get to my destination so atlanta's lack of arterial expansion is not something to gawk at...with the beltline the transit will truly help create one of the more efficient inner city efficient rail networks, now if only the state of georgia would get behind commuter rail!

[bpoulos]

yes the streetcar will be a great addition and the state is atlanta's biggest obstacle but i believe that with all of the people moving from other transit efficient areas that the demand for a continuously improving transit system will someday over take the conservative ineptness to fund transit...however atl is lucky that it is placed so far in advance compared to other southern cities as my friends here say it is like a light in the dark...mainly bc they are afraid of the south but know no better but it is somewhat true...the future will tell if the city can keep up with other southern cities and remain progressive