In post-T-SPLOST Atlanta, Cobb County might lead the region to a workable, cost-effective “Plan B” that could actually reduce traffic congestion in Cobb and throughout the region.
Or, Cobb could lead the region into committing future transportation dollars to unfortunate obligations that will permanently financially obstruct us from ever solving our transportation problems.
Cobb is working on its Comprehensive Transportation Plan update. The county also is studying a $1.1 billion, Kennesaw-to-Atlanta, bus rapid transit or BRT proposal. The BRT plan would allocate a huge percentage of Cobb’s financial resources to a “fixed guideway” project whose primary purpose is to incentivize development of private property, but would do little to improve commute times in Cobb.
Sixty-three percent of the region, and 69 percent of Cobb County, voted “no” on the T-SPLOST. Ultimately, a majority of voters recognized that T-SPLOST misallocated billions of dollars to projects that would benefit special interests but do little to reduce traffic congestion.
The rejection of T-SPLOST does not mean voters want to do nothing. Most taxpayers would support a package of transportation projects that would effectively reduce commute times on our roads and use our tax dollars cost-effectively.
This criteria does not exclude transit. But it should exclude the billion-dollar BRT plan.
Cost-effective transit that meets our mobility needs should be part of a comprehensive transportation plan for Cobb and the region.
Express bus is transit best suited to meet the transportation needs of commuters in a region with very low population density and widely dispersed employment centers. Expansion of our already-successful express bus service would do more to reduce traffic congestion than the far-more-expensive BRT proposal.
When the I-75 /575 managed lanes are completed, express buses will provide commuters a time-competitive alternative to driving, which will further increase ridership.
New, local bus routes could be implemented for a few million dollars. Regular local and express buses are also less expensive to operate and maintain than BRT. BRT would consume millions of future transportation dollars annually for one transit route. Those funds would be better allocated to real mobility needs elsewhere in Cobb.
Cobb should prioritize improving bottlenecks at intersections and interchanges; making low-cost, high-impact investments in technology, and shortening response times for clearing traffic accidents.
Transit will always necessitate a taxpayer subsidy. That does not mean taxpayers should be bludgeoned with outrageous costs. We need good transit service that addresses real mobility needs at a reasonable cost to taxpayers.
Ultra-expensive BRT will financially obstruct Cobb from comprehensively addressing its transportation needs countywide.
Ron Sifen is president of the Cobb County Civic Coalition.
