JTA To Move Forward with Philips Highway BRT Plan

[simms3]

In GA, where MARTA is already strictly a transit authority, gubernatorial candidate Karen Handel has already taken that a step further by proposing that MARTA focus on rail and a private entity pick up the bus routes.  Whether that is stupid or not remains to be fully debated, but it just goes to show how far ahead another nearby city is.  Karen is also an advocate of getting the state more involved in MARTA funding, since MARTA is the largest transit authority and only major one not at least partially subsidized by the state...it's fully funded by Fulton and Dekalb counties and the City of Atlanta.

[vicupstate]

Your best hope is to postpone this until a new mayor (with new JTA appointees) takes office. That or either hope it doesn't get the required federal funding. 

[Overstreet]

Which may explain why all the crossing closure signs along Philips Hwy.

[TheProfessor]

It would seem smarter to put BRT up San Jose Blvd. where people live at.  Not many people live on Phillips Hwy?   Also it would make sense to make an East/West line to the beach.

[Doctor_K]

It would seem smarter to put BRT up San Jose Blvd. where people live at.  Not many people live on Phillips Hwy?   Also it would make sense to make an East/West line to the beach.

+1!

[cayohueso]

This stupidity already took up over the parking lane on Blanding Blvd. So basically the plan is to run express buses more often...what a real Transportation Authority is supposed to be doing. What total crap. I have never even seen a bus on the Blanding Bus Lane. JTA is just eaten up with the dumbass.

[rjp2008]

So lets do something POSITIVE and SHOW jta what a commuter rail can do. While they spin their wheels in useless studies, lets get a train on that track and get it moving as a demonstrator. If they wont listen, then its time to take action.

[CS Foltz]

JTA does not have brains enough to pour pee out of a boot! They keep pushing for more concrete and the like and have yet to address simple issue's such as "A covered bus stop"! But BRT will have, what was it 24 Historically blending covered stops which I just know will be used to no end......right? What about the other 1800 other bus stops? Why do we have to have advertising in order to have simple shelters for those that use this? If JTA is not going to upgrade something as simple as their drivers extending simple courtesy to potential riders, bus's polluting our air and don't forget about those BRT lanes which will be bus dedicated.........WTH? JTA planners, appear to me, to not be able to plan their way out of a bathroom, much less be the guiding light for mass transit! What the hell about other modes of mass transit? Rail is not even on the back burner, but we can get some more studies done!

[tufsu1]

Which may explain why all the crossing closure signs along Philips Hwy.

actually they have nothing to do with it...that is an FDOT project to resurface and upgrade the roadway...which includes access management, bike lanes, and sidewalks

[stjr]

JTA's drawings refer to "stations".  What exactly constitutes a station?  This implies more than a bus stop.

If these "stations" are like the puny, non-user friendly Skyway stations, this project is dead before it gets going.  

If the "stations" are equal to bus stops, what's the substantive difference between BRT versus a regular bus route?  Extra time to make a green light?

"Stations" implies the ability to service hundreds of riders in short periods of time and with multiple buses at once.  Such "stations" will require great road access, drop off/pick up lanes, bus parking, and commuter parking to function at any decent level. Not to mention pedestrian and bicycle access (non-existent on Philips Highway for the most part) and a plan to future connect with mass transit rail.

Is their even a simple concept drawing of these stations?  How will they be accessed?  How much land will they require?  Where will all that commuter parking be?  In all that bureaucratic verbiage and playing with their colorful "crayons", I didn't see any specifics on this subject.

Add BRT to JTA's legacy of the intermodal center, Skyway, JTB interchange, Dames Point bridge port-limiting height, bus shelter ads, Outer Beltway, bus system, mismanaged BJP mass transit and other funds, etc. fiascoes.  How do these guys keep their jobs?!!!

[spuwho]

Doesn't a plan like this require a public hearing? Usually before Fed Funds can be accepted, they are required to hold at minimum 3 public hearings.

I have only heard about 2 recent public hearings with JTA.

- Regional Transit Authority study
- JTB I-95 Interchange

I would find out when the next one is and let it be known. That is the best time to express yourself.

Unfortunately, if someone can actually find the hearing schedule on the JTA website!

Here is what a BRT looks like;

http://www.jtafla.com/JTAfutureplans/Bus/

[rjp2008]

Funny how they try to make it look like rail!!!

[stjr]

Doesn't a plan like this require a public hearing? Usually before Fed Funds can be accepted, they are required to hold at minimum 3 public hearings.

Unfortunately, if someone can actually find the hearing schedule on the JTA website!

Found this on your link under "upcoming events":

August 23, 2010
BRT Southeast Corridor Public Meeting
Time: 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Best Western-Southpoint

[rjp2008]

Talking is good, but again I think getting a demonstrator up on those FEC tracks would make JTA listen and pay attention. With permission from FEC you could have a train up and running within a week if need be.

[Charles Hunter]

Permission - including liability issues, which have tripped up or delayed commuter rail projects in the state.  I think a demonstration could be a negative for commuter rail, if FEC did not agree to give the CR priority on the miles of single track, and in switching.  If the demo has schedule reliability problems due to freight interference, it could kill the chances for commuter rail for years.