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Published Friday, May 28, 2010 in Opinion
Prospects brighter for rail passenger service in Georgia?
Editorial
Passenger train proponents in Georgia see brighter days ahead for the development of passenger rail service from Atlanta to Macon, Athens, Chattanooga, Augusta and Savannah.
The optimism comes after the Obama administration made it clear it favors mass transit programs over highways, and after the Georgia DOT decided to seek federal funds to plan construction of passenger rail.
Gordon Kenna, executive director of Georgians for Passenger Rail, told Morris News Atlanta Bureau Chief Walter Jones, "This is the first time we've ever had an adult conversation about passenger rail."
Interesting information about rail service also came this week when the Brookings Institute shed light on how to tackle the major hurdle to rail service -- where will subsidies come from to operate the service? No rail line breaks even by collecting fares, and politicians don't like to approve rail service with no way to pay the deficit.
The Brookings study talks about two ways to get the additional money, one would be the transportation sales tax in the early years of service. Later, the money could come from tax allocation districts set up around each passenger station along the rail line.
For example, the proposed line from Atlanta to Macon is expected to run through Hampton, Morrow and Griffin. This should create significant additional development in those areas, and those areas could become tax allocation districts and pony up tax dollars to help pay the rail service bill.
While the rail proponents are excited about the growing prospects for our state to finally get started on developing passenger rail service, it still will take time to set all the wheels in motion.
In the coming weeks and months it will be interesting to see how the public and how politicians react to the possibility of speeding up planning and development of passenger rail service.
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It would be nicer to have the train to run from places like Newnan to Atlanta. Cut out traffic into Atlanta from other places also. A train in downtown Atlanta would be awesome like the Eurorails running through the cities delivering the folks to work that rode the train in from neighboring cities like Newnan!
Posted by subatomic at 8:23 PM
Public transit is the only reasonable solution to our energy problem. It doesn't matter how many Prius' are on the road, the demand for oil is going to be so much that the price will be crippling for the US. Rail, and other forms of public transit, offer a way to get around without a $20,000 or more personal investment.
Leigh, do you really trust oil company's to drill safely enough to let the risks out weigh the possible costs? Also, why do you think we'll be in government owned homes? A little less G.B., a little more reality.
JtS, I hope you're wrong, but I fear you're right...
Posted by t strickland at 1:41 AM
Under Obama's no-drill plan, gas prices are going to sky rocket. If people can't drive to work because they can't afford gas, then our economy is sunk even more. We will have to have rail transportation like they do in Europe. People must have options unless we're all to just submit to the government and stay locked in our government owned homes.
Posted by Leigh at 1:17 PM
They'll talk about it, they'll study it's feasability, they'll hire consultants to develop plans, then GDOT will step in and shut it down again. State Reps in south Georgia need road projects in their counties more than they need Atlanta to have commuter rail. Don't count on a new passenger rail system in this state, until there is a new GDOT. And as far as Obama money goes, it's going North to voter faithful states.
Posted by JtS at 12:13 PM
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Drilling
6/1/2010
Link To This Comment
Because you asked, I am responding. Do I "trust" oil companies to be safe, blah blah. No, obviously, there are serious flaws in the system. But let's be clear about one thing, Obama has only stopped America from drilling. There are many many countries drilling for oil, even in the gulf. This could've happened to any of those countries as well. My point is, unless you stop everyone from drilling, why are you stopping the Americans? That just leaves us more dependent on foreign oil. Until the rails are built and running, we need oil. Period.
Posted by Leigh at 7:14 PM