Fresh Loaf

The Georgia Association of Rail Passengers has called for Gov. Sonny Perdue to restore funding for the Atlanta-Griffin commuter rail line that’s been earmarked for federal dollars and which the governor said he’d support during last year’s gas shortage. U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., has already scolded Perdue for not funding the line.

Passenger rail advocates are calling on the Georgia General Assembly to approve $15 million in funding for Atlanta-Griffin commuter rail line, despite Governor Sonny Perdue’s failure to include the money in his budget.

“It’s extremely unfortunate that the Governor went back on his promise to fund the Atlanta-Griffin line,” said Steve Vogel, president of the Georgia Association of Railroad Passengers (GARP).  “It also was a big mistake.”

The federal government has $87 million set aside for the rail project, but it’s been stalled for years by state government inaction.  The Georgia Department of Transportation has asked for $15 million to get the project moving again.

Rest of the release is after the jump.
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A report released Monday by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce says that connecting seven intercity rail lines in Georgia is not only feasible, but that the ridership is there to use it.

Conducted by D.C.-based R.L. Burns and Associates Inc., the study evaluated the estimated ridership and cost of implementing and maintaining the different rail lines that would connect Atlanta to cities such as Athens, Augusta, Savannah and Chattanooga, among others. The group concluded that the ridership for the lines would be comparable to other cities that operate commuter rail systems. The Athens-Atlanta link, for example, would serve an estimated 3,000-3,7000 people every day. The downside — as there always is a downside — is that it’ll cost $471 million to start and $15 million to operate annually. The study also says that as gas prices continue to rise, more and more commuters would consider the alternative means of transportation desirable. As the legislative session teeters to its annual opening, maybe the state will finally heed the call from not only public-transit advocates, but the business community as well, that roads have served their purpose in the region and other modes of transportation need to be explored.

Interesting side note: Out of the 13 most populated regions in the United States — such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — only three are without a commuter rail system. Yes, Atlanta’s one of those.

I tried to upload the PowerPoint presentation of the study, but alas it’s too large. However, you can view or download it at the Georgia Association of Rail Passengers website. Click on “Press Room,” scroll down to “MACOC – Commuter Rail Plan Update Summary (Large),” click, and enjoy.

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