I will not vote to have my tax dollars redistributed to Cobb, Gwinnett

CrossRoadsNews – No rail for I 20 in final transportation projects for referendum.

Why am I not surprised by this?  This was DOA and anyone with half a brain knew it. No one on that roundtable was interested in helping marginal folks in South DeKalb. Whats worse is that the member we had who was suppose to look out for our interest caved. CEO Ellis made a bold statement wanting to yank funding from the GA400/I285 area, but I bet he knew that was going nowhere and can hide behind the fact that he did offer up an alternative. It pisses me off that I have to live North of the Stone Mountain Freeway to get decent schools, decent roads, clean streets and transportation alternatives. We are a marginalized people who are being asked to give 1 cent of every dollar spent here to citizens in Cobb who don’t even want rail and have historically been downright hostile to it.  The more I think about it, the more I realize that this is just redistribution in the other direction. Take our tax dollars and spend them on projects that people don’t want just because they can.  If they rely on my vote to help pass it, then we all we be stuck in 20th century transportation options.

MARTA becoming less SMARTA

MARTA is cutting rail and bus service, as well as rasing fares among other cost cutting measures

We knew it was coming. MARTA was going to reduce the number of bus routes, and cut its rail service. Here is a snippet from their web site:

MARTA’s FY 2011 budget includes a number of internal cost containment measures; a 10.2 percent reduction in bus service (131 routes to 91 routes), a 14.2 percent reduction in rail service, an increase in weekly, monthly and Mobility pass prices; closure of two Ride Stores; reduced customer service call center hours; a reduction in the number of Station Agents assigned throughout the system, and designation of public restrooms at nine major transfer points and end-of-line stations

Here is a list of changes that Affect South DeKalb riders

Eliminated:

7

22

28

96

216

Changed:

9 – Toney valley, starts at Kensington goes to Covington Hwy, Peachcrest, Columbia, Toney Valley, Tilson rd. Second Ave, and Gresham/Brennan Rd. where it ends.

15 – South DeKalb, no longer going to Health center. Must use 114.

24 – Belvedere no longer serving South DeKalb, will meander around East lake, Kirkwood areas. 123 now serving portions of Belvedere and Midway.

34 – Gresham Park, will continue to serve Gresham Park area, but will end at GPC Decatur.

74, Flat Shoals, will continue to serve Whites Mill Rd. and on to downtown via Flat Shoals, Glenwood and I-20, but not clear if it will continue to serve S DeKalb mall area.

86 – Lithonia, will take you from Lithonia to East Lake station via Snapfinger Woods Dr., Wesley Chapel, Columbia, McAfee and 2nd Avenue.

123 – Church St,  Decatur Station  Route 123 will assume the Swanton Way, Commerce Dr., W. Trinity Pl., S/N McDonough St., W. Hill St., Oakview Rd., Fifth Ave. to Hosea Williams Dr. segments currently served by Route 18. From Hosea Williams Rd. Route 123 will then assume the S. Candler St., Midway Rd., Carter Rd., Fairlee Dr., Line St., White Oak Dr., Capistrana Place, San Gabriel Ave., and Belvedere Lane segments currently served by Route 24.

186 – Wesley Chapel/Rainbow,  Will go from Wesley Chapel to Candler then on to downtown via I-20. No more service to Indian creek station.

107 – Glenwood, will go from Inman Park Station to Covington Hwy., and then continue on to Kensington Station.

111 – Stonecrest, Will go from Stonecrest Mall to Wesley Chapel via Snapfinger woods. Then down to Covington Hwy to South Indian Creek to Indian Creek Station.

114 – Columbia Woods, will go from Avondale Station to Clifton Springs terminating at the health center.

115 – Covington Hwy, will go from Evans Mill park and ride to Covington Hwy to South Hairston to Redan on to Indian Creek Station.

116 – Redan/Stonecrest will Terminate at Stonecrest Mall via Redan Road. It will no longer service Main St. in Downtown Lithonia.

117 – Rockbridge/Panola will go to the Panola GRTA lot at I-20 and Panola. It will service Fairington Pkwy as well as the Lou Walker Senior center.

In addition to route changes, MARTA also will increase fares on weekly, monthly, and mobility passes. Here is a PDF of the fare schedule for the next few years.

Trains will run fewer hours as well. Trains stop running at 1 am all days, and will start running at 6 am on weekends. Happy riding.