Perkins+Will Hired to Provide Technical & Strategic Expertise

By Jane P. Rawlings, LLCC Transportation Coordinator

Heather Alhadeff, Senior Transportation Planner

The Lindbergh LaVista Corridor Coalition is pleased to once again engage the services of Perkins+Will’s Urban Design practice and their Senior Transportation Planner, Heather Alhadeff. Ms. Alhadeff is uniquely positioned to offer expert, independent analysis on the current Clifton Corridor proposals. This consulting work will begin immediately, and continue on a contractual basis.

Our Board of Directors has committed the necessary initial funding, while also reaching out to other impacted parties in order to help offset the costs involved. We’re seeking assistance, and would be pleased for you to consider making your own special contribution at this time of $10, $50, or $100.

Donations are 100% tax deductible, and can be made online through our PayPal secure website by clicking here.

Donate Now

Don’t have a PayPal account? Look for this wording on the left side of the donation page, “Use your credit card or bank account,” and click Continue.

Regional transportation tax panel puts off projects vote

Atlanta Business Chronicle – by Dave Williams, Staff Writer

A subcommittee of local elected officials is delaying its decision on which transportation improvements should be funded by a proposed regional sales tax right up to a state-imposed deadline.

The Atlanta Regional Transportation Roundtable’s executive committee had been expected to vote Thursday on a list of highway and transit projects to be built with $6.14 billion that would be available regionally if voters in the 10-county metro area approve the tax next year.

But the five-member panel is still trying to whittle down a $6.56 billion list of projects unveiled late Wednesday by the Atlanta Regional Commission staff. That’s as far as ARC staff members could get in cutting a project list that started with nearly $23 billion in requests from Atlanta-area cities, counties and transportation agencies.

The list the executive committee is working from includes partial funding for the Atlanta Beltline project and extensions of MARTA rail service along the Clifton Corridor, north to Holcomb Bridge Road in Fulton County and east to Wesley Chapel Road in DeKalb County.

It also incorporates a planned light rail line connecting MARTA’s Arts Center station with the Cumberland Mall area of Cobb County.

But it doesn’t include funds for a commuter rail line linking downtown Atlanta with Griffin, Ga., an omission that drew protests from political and business leaders from the south side of metro Atlanta and from commuter rail advocates.

Of about $3.5 billion in transit projects on the list as proposed, less than 3 percent would go to the area south of Interstate 20, said Gordon Kenna, CEO of Georgians for Passenger Rail.

“We are about to do the biggest thing we’ve ever done as a region, and you are completely ignoring half of the region,” Kay Pippin, president of the Henry County Chamber of Commerce, told the executive committee. “You’re going to have to open the door and let us come in.”

The executive committee will meet on Monday – its deadline under legislation passed by the General Assembly last year – to finalize the project list it will recommend to the full roundtable. The 21-member roundtable then will have until Oct. 15 to submit the projects voters will asked to approve next year.

Community Input Sought at Clifton Corridor MARTA Workshop

By Margarita Delapaz for the North Druid Hills/Briarcliff Patch

The Clifton Corridor Transit Initiative Project continues to be worked out in partnership with MARTA. As part of a requirement to receive federal funding, an analysis was presented to the community for input.

Residents gathered at the Torah Day School of Atlanta Wednesday night to express concerns and get clarification on the proposed Clifton Corridor Transit Initiative project.

The project is a partnership with MARTA and the Clifton Corridor Transit Management Association which would bring new transportation options linking the Centers for Disease Control, Emory University and DeKalb Medical to Atlanta’s regional mass transit system.

After a brief introduction, participants were asked to go around the displays asking questions, examining their options and voicing their opinions about the project.

Jeremy Freeman said he lives off Lenox Circle where he fears a light rail may be the choice for the area behind his house.

“First and foremost they should be talking to residents because they’re concerned and don’t know what’s happening in their neighborhood,” he said.

There are three proposed options with different track locations. Heavy rail operates underground like current MARTA trains. Bus rapid transit would operate similar to the design of express buses in New York City. Designated lanes, high speeds and pre-paid fare speed up the process. Finally, the option Freeman fears, a light rail, would operate similar to a streetcar, above ground.

“They’re not telling you that this has to be 100 feet from CSX lines,” Freeman said.

Because CSX owns and operates freight trains along the existing tracks in the neighborhood, the proposed rail transit option may not use those same lines. In addition, new rail lines may not even be in close proximity to existing lines per federal regulations. This distance may mean the difference between having a train in your backyard or not.

Business owner John Cyphers said the proposal would have a train on top of his business which he feels would affect traffic flow.

“They’re going to take over my property,” he said.

After clarification and further examination of the proposal, it was shown that plans actually hope to utilize heavy rail in the option. This would mean an underground alternative that would not cut through Cyphers’ lot.

This discussion was the ultimate goal of the meeting, said Jason Morgan, a regional planner for MARTA.

“Those that live next to CSX are worried about their property and those a couple of blocks away are worried about access,” Morgan said.

Although the project would not break ground for at least six years, the ultimate goal of the analysis is to get comment and feedback for route options.

“This is Stage 1,” he said. “We don’t know the kind of technology yet or how to position the stations.”

If all goes as planned, Morgan said the lines may be available to commuters as early as eight years from now.