Having said the above, as many of you well know, we now have a streetcar line again in Atlanta. It is not without controversy. In fact, that is an understatement. The initial streetcar report cards are already being presented in mass media outlets.
Many on the Right argue that economically and on a transportation level it makes no sense at all (particularly in the short and mid-runs), while those on the Left argue just as loudly that the long-term positive economical effect and human benefits will be evident. They also cite the fact that many other cities are once again enthusiastically implementing streetcars after careful feasibility studies.
I also recall "the old" MARTA and its trains and buses struggling for a long time in the past, and the rates always being raised. It still operated as a public service even when it was not viable, right? Sometimes even economical losers have positive public externalities and benefits before prospering.
My facebook friend Benita Dodd has stated:
" We need to accept that this (streetcars) was a dismal failure and that once people actually have to pay to ride it, we'll see ridership plunge."
Is she correct? She often is. I don't know.
However, if you have a stake along the streetcar line, you surely feel different about the situation, as virtually any and all traffic from the line is good for you. And, what about the riders? Doesn't it benefit them as well?
Benita seems to think (I won't put words in her mouth) that the system is a novelty act in a modern world that will die on the vine when riders are forced to pay. Again, is she right?
Another facebook friend, Keith Hillsman, points something else out. He states that a number of other cities are going the same route as Atlanta with the streetcars, saying:
" Look at Portland, Little Rock, Seattle, Tucson and Minneapolis as examples," and "Cincy, KC and Detroit have also jumped on the SC bandwagon."
His implication is that other cities are reinforcing Atlanta's idea, and success will one day prevail. Is He right?
We are talking about two smart people with diametrically opposing views here, and they serve as a microcosm of how the Atlanta population feels. In fact, evidently other city populations are also split on the issue.
With the traffic congestion in the Atlanta area, particularly to the north of the city, is it any wonder that Brookhaven and Chamblee (like Sandy Springs) are looking into some form of mass transit, like maybe a monorail system?
What are the correct answers for Metropolitan Atlanta's transportation problems? New Roads? Widening roads? More mass transit? Streetcars? Restrictions? Other multi-passenger lanes? Additional ridesharing? Or, how about changing business hours or school hours?
My acquaintances Benita and Keith know a whole lot about these issues. I do not. The horrible thought is that if they cannot agree, how will a million or more Metro-Atlantans with less knowledge?
It will take a lot of delicate and persuasive leadership from the Atlanta Mayor's Office, the ARC, and surrounding governments to pull-off the area's 21st Century transportation problems.
Selfish as I am, I just hope that the streetcars remain a part of the mix, whether they prove efficient, inefficient, or just simply hold their own. I hope Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed proves more prophetic than my fellow Conservative cohorts about the streetcars.
I guess I am sometimes a nostalgic and sentimental softie, but I love streetcars and hope that they are eventually a postive economic and transportational feature of 21st Century Atlanta for decades to come.
Jimmy Hall (404-580-1501) develops and writes business plans, resumes, web content, letters, and other written products for businesses and individuals.
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