One emphatically defended the Cobb light rail project. Another emphatically denied that the Cobb light rail project is on the TSPLOST projects list. Hmmm.
Let’s take a closer look at this “phantom” light rail for Cobb.
* The TSPLOST projects list identifies this project as a $700 million upgrade of existing bus service. However, it goes on to say that if the new alternatives analysis study recommends light rail for this corridor, then this project can be converted to light rail.
Are politicians really asking taxpayers to spend $700 million to upgrade existing bus service to something that is labeled “Bus Rapid Transit” but it is not actually real “Bus Rapid Transit”, and has “queue jumper lanes” that will slightly improve the trip times of local buses?
Whether we wind up with light rail or not, this “study” is clearly an attempt to justify light rail. Most pro-TSPLOST advocates do not view this as phantom-light-rail. They view it as done-deal-light-rail.
If this project winds up being upgraded bus service, then I will concede that it can be done for the outrageously expensive price of $700 million. Is that a good investment for taxpayers?
If this project winds up being light rail, the $700 million will wind up being a tiny down payment on the total construction cost and future operating and maintenance costs of this project. Taxpayers will be trapped into paying billions of dollars of additional costs.
Over the last 30 years, some cities have implemented light rail by buying already existing inactive track from the railroads. Others have built light rail from scratch. Generally, those cities that have built light rail from scratch have experienced massive cost overruns. This is a build-from-scratch project. Cobb County and the Atlanta region are choosing the path of proven failure.
And in this case, we know what some of those cost overruns will be, because there are known obstacles identified by previous studies. But the special interests don’t want taxpayers to know about these extra costs until after they approve the TSPLOST on July 31.
* When the pro-TSPLOST propaganda campaign suggests that light rail can improve traffic congestion, that is not a lie. But it is incredibly misleading.
Light rail can be designed to promote redevelopment, or it can be designed to improve traffic congestion. These two objectives are necessarily mutually exclusive.
In order for light rail (or any kind of transit) to improve traffic congestion, it must provide a trip time that is reasonably competitive with driving. On average, light rail increases trip times by 70 percent.
When the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) did the Northwest Connectivity Study (NWCS) a few years ago, GRTA concluded that light rail in this corridor would more than double trip times from north Cobb to Atlanta. GRTA concluded that very few commuters would get out of their cars and utilize transit if transit doubled their door-to-door trip time. That was one of the reasons why GRTA concluded that light rail was the wrong answer for this corridor.
This project, as proposed, will do nothing to alleviate traffic congestion in Cobb County. This project is designed to place transit stations where Cobb County wants to incentivize the redevelopment of targeted properties. The taxpayers of Cobb County should not have to pay massive new taxes to incentivize the redevelopment of selected parcels of private property.
* There are some projects on the projects list that will alleviate traffic congestion, but too much of the money goes to projects that will not alleviate traffic congestion.
On balance, the TSPLOST projects list is a bad deal for taxpayers. In the long run, the current TSPLOST projects list will cannibalize future dollars that could otherwise have been used for other projects that actually would alleviate traffic congestion. It will actually financially obstruct the region’s ability to fund future projects that would alleviate traffic congestion.
One last point. The pro-TSPLOST claim that voters must approve the TSPLOST because there is no Plan B is very close to an outright lie. There is a Plan B built into the legislation that authorized the TSPLOST. The Transportation Investment Act, which authorized the TSPLOST, provides that if the voters in any region vote down the TSPLOST, that region can put together a better projects list and bring it back to the voters in two years. That is a Plan B. And Plan B is the better choice for taxpayers on July 31.
Ron Sifen of Vinings is president of the Cobb County Civic Coalition. His views are his own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCCC.
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The Deception does not want to admit that his or her definition of "progress" is to build at least 2 dozen transit stations between Acworth and Atlanta that are strategically placed near targeted parcels of private property to "incentivize" the redevelopment of nearby properties, at billions of dollars of taxpayer expense.
The Deception does not want to admit that with this many stations, trip times will be even slower than GRTA projected for light rail in the NWCS. GRTA concluded that close to zero commuters would get out of their cars and into transit that more than doubles their trip time. If everyone who currently drives, continues to drive, then this ultra-expensive project will do nothing to alleviate traffic congestion.
The Deception does not want taxpayers to realize that some of the ultra-expensive projects are only partially funded, that will necessitate even more tax increases to complete these projects.
Previous studies identified major obstacles for light rail along the proposed path(s) from Acworth to Arts Center. Those previous studies pointed out that it would be hypothetically possible to overcome these obstacles but that any possible solution would be staggeringly expensive. Light rail proponents are not disclosing this information to taxpayers. Taxpayers will be deceived into making what will turn out to be a small down payment on Atlanta's version of "The Big Dig", and taxpayers will get handed the bill for billions in additional costs to overcome known-but-undisclosed obstacles.
So much of the projects list obligates future transportation dollars to projects that will not alleviate traffic congestion that Plan A (approving the TSPLOST) will literally financially OBSTRUCT the region from being able to fund other needed projects in the future. So, I understand that special interests who will profit from these projects want the TSPLOST for their own personal profit. For taxpayers, yes, Plan B (voting against the TSPLOST) is the best answer.
Once again your reading comprehension skills are called into question.
Putting aside his accurate critique of the proposed light rail project in Cobb County
The bottom line recommendation being made in Mr. Sifen's column is to delay the referendum for two years in order to come up with a more meaningful and effective project list.
It gives us time to come up with a project list that actually addresses our regional transportation issues.
Regardless of what MAVEN and the other proponents of the referendum are saying the existing one doesn't do that.
We are only going to get one chance at this so let's step back and do it right the first time.
TSPLOST is a big deal. We are fortunate to have you stepping forward to shine the light on the BS that the cobb county rino chamber establishment thieves are trying to serve up to the taxpayers.
Don
Look at the list of MAVEN sponsors for the names of those creating the language.
Particularly as it relates to Cobb's ridiculous project list.
Thank you.
It is painfully obvious.
From the nonsensical metro Atlanta TIA project list, to the one sided propaganda campaign being funded by the CID's and carried out by their own personal advertising arm MAVEN, that this TIA, as it is currently proposed, a very bad idea.
It needs to be revisited and refined so that we do not jump into a financial briar patch from which we cannot escape.
The TIA financing mechanism is not a bad idea in and of itself.
It just needs to be utilized to fund projects and initiatives that effectively and responsibly address our regional transportation issues.
In the scheme of things two years is an acceptable delay so we can do this right.
Plan A is a disaster. Plan B is the way to go.
As Sifen points out, a two year redo is built in the law. Another law is not needed.
And the redo will then be after the Alternatives Analysis is completed. Talk about "cart before the horse". We don't even know if the $700 million is for a bus or a train !