Transit-trailing Atlanta risks being left at the station

As state leaders block every attempt to develop passenger rail in the region, metro Atlanta is losing its competitive edge.

Nearly every other major metro area in the country has jumped on the passenger rail movement --- recognizing how valuable transit and trains are to their economic future.

Yet in Georgia, a few state legislators have successfully done everything they can to kill commuter rail in metro Atlanta. The latest example occurred last month when state legislators inserted "midnight language" in the budget bill to withhold state funds for "any commuter rail passenger facilities unless otherwise especially appropriated."

That language has given board members of the Georgia Department of Transportation an excuse to yet again delay efforts to implement the region's first commuter rail service --- a line would run from Atlanta to Lovejoy and eventually extend to Griffin and Macon.

Gov. Sonny Perdue can veto that language today or tomorrow --- sending a clear signal to transportation leaders that we must move forward with commuter rail. But up to now, Perdue has done little to support commuter trains or transit.

The lack of any progress on rail transit in metro Atlanta has ominous implications. As other metro areas move forward to provide transportation options for their residents, we continue to be stuck in traffic jams.

Otis White, president of Atlanta-based Civic Strategies, tracks urban trends in the top 20 cities in the country. His research shows that 17 of those cities are committed to rail transit.

The three that aren't are Detroit, where regional leaders feel it's too late for the Michigan city; Tampa, where leaders question whether the city is big enough to support rail; and Atlanta.

"Atlanta is truly the odd metro out," White says. "These other metropolitan areas are going as hard and as fast as they can to build rail transit, and we're not."
Once metro Atlanta had a two-decade lead over these other cities when it built its MARTA system. But sadly, transit growth was stopped in its tracks.

"We were 10 to 15 years ahead of Dallas, and now they are far ahead of us in transit," White says. "Today, they have got the model big city transit system in the country."

Dallas is not alone. From Chicago to Denver, from Washington to Seattle and from Miami to Minneapolis, urban areas are building rail transit.

A striking example is Houston, once viewed as one of the most auto-oriented, sprawling metro areas in the country.

"Houston, the oil capital of the country is building rail transit as fast and as furious as it can, and voters are supporting it overwhelmingly," White says. "If Houston can do it, Atlanta can do it."

And it's not just the major cities. Second-tier cities --- emerging competitors to metro Atlanta --- are investing in rail transit. Charlotte, Portland, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City are only a few examples of cities that view rail as a sound investment.

"Nationally, we turned the corner on the discussion of rail transit 10 years ago because the highway-only system broke down," White says. "I just don't know of another major metro area that's carrying on this silly discussion other than Atlanta."

And most metro areas are not hung up on the need for public subsidies for transit, understanding that all modes of transportation are subsidized.

In fact, in Virginia, the state has agreed to turn over toll road revenues to build a Metrorail line to serve the Dulles International Airport. The airport actually will take over control of the Dulles Toll Road and use those revenues to finance bonds for the $4 billion, 23-mile rail line.

Cities also are adopting a rail strategy because of its positive economic impact on communities --- particularly when compared to massive road projects. "Transit builds cities, and highways do egregious harm to the areas they go through," White says, adding that transit encourages development.

Although metro Atlanta is now lagging behind other cities, White is optimistic the region will reverse its slide and move toward a sensible transit system. "Ultimately, it will be the development community and the business community that will lead us to be smarter about mobility," White says, adding that developers understand the economic benefits of transit.

Case in point, developers from Athens to Gwinnett County to downtown Atlanta are pushing for a "Brain Train" that would connect major universities while sparking billions of dollars of economic development along the corridor.

And historic towns left behind by the Interstate system see commuter rail as a way to revive their communities. For example, an Atlanta-Macon line would provide an economic boost to all the station stops along the way.

"You would make it possible for people to live in Macon and commute to Atlanta," White says. "That would help revitalize Macon."

Perdue has a tremendous opportunity to propel our region with rail. With a stroke of the pen, he can send the message that Georgia will be proactive in offering transportation options.

But if state leaders keep killing efforts to develop rail transit, metro Atlanta will continue to (trail) behind other major cities --- to our own economic peril.

Maria Saporta - Staff
Monday, May 8, 2006
msaporta@ajc.com
Source: ajc.com