http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=1902
While the state of Georgia allows Atlanta to sink deeper in to a pit of fithly air and massive traffic jams, Autin TX gets ready to start a commuter rail system.
Atlanta could grow up to be a great city, but the "go-along, get-along" of state politics will doom the place to be third rate, at best. In 10 years "corridor" in NC will have left Atlanta in the dust.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
I have. In fact, the Federal and State captial needed to get the first commuter rail line running has been in place for a couple of years. The state DOT (aka... "department of paving") head won't release the money. The operating subisdy has to come from the counties the train operates in - unlike most places where regional solutions get regional, if not state, funding.
The Fed requires that the line run for 10 years after they've ponied up the capital.
Now, GA is carved up into a bazillion counties and this route runs through a few. All have said they'd ante up the subsidy for several years, but could weasel out after a few, if required subsidy was too large. The Dept of Paving's repsonse has been to use this as an excuse to do nothing rather than figure out a way to get it done and not let the appropriated Federal money go to back to Washington.
Meanwhile, Gov Bubba does nothing. I can't say he's a bad leader because to call him a bad leader would imply there was some effort to lead at all. About all he is good for is changing oxygen into carbon dioxide.
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