Commuter Trains Baptists and Bootleggers
On December 13, 2004, Maria Saporta wrote in her column that the first Atlanta commuter rail line might actually be running by mid 2006.
The line currently is scheduled to run from Atlanta to Lovejoy and will be operated by the Georgia Department of Transportation. Fares would be about $6 max during rush hour, and the engines would be diesel.
Where did the new push come from? Two different perspectives show from where the momentum is coming.
First, all of the mayors of the cities where the train would stop and all of the county commissions are pushing for it. Municipalities and counties rarely agree on anything, so when commissioners and councilmen alike fix their name to the same plan, it indicates an incredible base of support.
Second, there are both baptists and bootleggers who want this. The Baptists are obvious. Environmentally conscious people, those who live near the stations, smart growth fans, and those who want to see the south side develop all clamor for this. But the Bootleggers make the difference. The road building lobby has a huge stake in seeing
this rail line come to light and succeed.
Why? Georgia has built about as much rural developmental highway as it can and the outer perimeter is dead. So where will new road construction opportunities arrive? In places that develop. If the rail line goes in, thousands of road improvements will be needed around each stop. Hundreds of miles of new roads will have to be added; and that’s just to get people to the train.
If actual increased in population and business increase as a result of easy access to the community, even more roads will be needed! It will be an asphalt layers paradise! Clayton county will be road building city! All because of a train!