tsp-LOST.. Where Are We Now?

image: FakeMARTAWell, that was fun.  I'm glad it's over.  My $99.00 grocery bill won't become $99.99.  That's what I was really worried about.  I hope I never have to hear the horrid TSPLOST acronym again.  You'll hear a lot of post-mortems over the coming weeks and this one is in no way comprehensive but it's representaive of where I stand.

TSPLOSTs got thumped around the state and that should tell you something.  The fact is that the legislation sucked.  It was drafted under a gold dome that didn't want anything to do with a functional transportation bill.  It took a last minute deal in 2010 just to hammer something through and finally break the multi-year deadlock.  

They effectively punted the responsibility to the citizens by telling us that if we want infrastructure improvements, we will have to design a project list ourselves and then vote to pay for it ourselves.  Oh yeah.. if you don't vote for it, your state local match for road projects will be cut from 90% to 70%.

Apparently, we don't like having to compromise with our neighbors and we really don't like being told that we will have to pay for it and be penalized if we don't.  TIA was riddled with flaws ranging from how the project selection would take place to how it hamstrung MARTA as the ONLY transit system in the state that was not allowed to directly benefit from the tax revenues.  It did not create a region-wide transportation system and it left too many vagaries as to how the funds would be managed, spent and accounted for although there were provisions that feigned oversight.  Unfortunately, the devil was in the details and the devil was teased out over time.

So, we're back to the drawing board.  What's next?  That would be the enigma that is "Plan B." I'm sure you will see a dozen new Plan B's over the next month or so and each one of them will push more roads growing ever wider. EXACTLY WHAT WE DON'T NEED.  In fact, the governor already has one... and it's said to be pretty top-down just like those wiley, patriotic liberty loving Tea Partiers like it.

Why did it fail?

Regardless of what the naysayers say, this didn't fail because of the project list.  It didn't fail because there was 52% transit versus 48% roads.  It failed because of the structure of the legislation and VERY poor messaging by its supporters.  It failed because of a massive conservative led and stoked distrust (in some cases well founded) in the government which is ironically overwhelmingly conservative run at the moment.  Let's not forget that the legislation (intentionally?) set the vote for what would be a Republican dominated state primary with a historically low turnout of just the type of voter who would vote for a tax increase.

Many of those who voted no had no idea what was on the project list.  They were ideologically against tax increases.  Additionally, there was a pervasive misunderstanding that this was going to be an $8.5 billion bailout of MARTA which would ultimately result in trains, crime and density in the suburbs.  

You can't combat that level of ideology and misunderstanding with an alternative ideology. Unfortunately, that is exactly what the UntieAtlanta campaign tried to do.  It failed miserably. The ad campaign was opaque at best and never resonated with any faction of the electorate.  It relied on people doing their own research.  You have to be OUT OF YOUR MIND to think that the average voter who already feels they are over-taxed is going to check out a list of 157 projects and then sift through local news or municipal websites to find their local share projects.  Most people didn't even know there was a 15% local share.  The marketing was a collosal waste.  

Oh yeah... let's not forget the hot lane and GA400 disasters that were so well timed ahead of this vote as well as the crazy Agenda 21 nuts that started coming out from the fringes this year.  The horrid acronym that became attached to the Transportation Investment Act didn't help either.  TSPLOST just sounds like a monster waiting to get voted down.

This was a perfect storm that swamped the TSPLOST.

Last but not least, I can't really blame the asshole who stole the one Vote Yes sign that I put up the day after I put it up but that was just wrong.  I'd like to assume it's the same asshole who stole the lone Vote NO sign in the neighborhood the day after I sent this email to my neighborhood about it. But it was probably dueling sign bandits. Interestingly, only TSPLOST signs seemed to be disappearing though as the other signs were still there. Odd.. Do signs really even influence votes anyway? 

If I thought it was bad legilsation from the get-go, then why did I support it?  

I play with the cards I'm dealt.  All in all, the project list was solid and very compromising for the region.  I prefer to see action rather than inaction.  An imperfect plan that ultimately gets the job done is better than no plan at all.  It's also better, in my opinion, to start now with a plan that works than wait years into the future to see if a perfect plan comes along.

Any real visionary action in our region has now been pushed 4 years down the road.  That's FOUR YEARS if we are lucky.  That's the same amount of time it takes to get a college education.  That's A LONG time.  I'd rather get to work than sit and wait for politicians to come up with something else that may or may not work.  Maybe I'm just too impatient.  

What's Next?

I will continue to advocate for places that enable people to drive less and enjoy life more.  The new Roswell Gateway Master Plan is just that and we will continue to work to bring awareness of its benefits.  Unfortunately, the $20.4M that would have funded the critical Hwy 9 redesign that would have helped bring the master plan to fruition just got tspLOST.

Here's what we can expect to see around the region in exchange for that penny.  

• Lots of one sided Plan B's
• Lots of fragmented local projects that don't help the 65% of us that commute between more than one county
• Lots of people saying this is a mandate that we ONLY want road expansion in the Atlanta region
• More toll road proposals
• More toll road proposals... so get your PeachPasses
• Increased Local Share Responsibility on Road Projects (10% becomes 30%)
• No Transit Expansion up 400 or into Cobb or Gwinnett or out I20 or into Clayton
• MARTA Cuts
• GRTA Cuts
• Fewer sidewalk projects
• Fewer bike lane projects
• Increasing commute times
• Increasing air pollution
• The list goes on.....

I don't know if penny pinching feels so good when I see that list but at least my $99.00 grocery bill is still $99.99.

TSPLOST Letter to the Neighborhood

I figured I'd share a letter I sent out to my neighborhood earlier this week with the NUR readers since it might pertain to some of you...  

Hi everyone!  When I got home today, I noticed a vote NO sign sitting at my neighborhood entrance.  It surprised me to have a bold NO shouting at me before I even walked in the door.  That is generally my 3 year old's job.  I attached another Vote NO sign to this email that makes me feel better.  

Up front, this email isn't for anyone who can't get past a no-tax ideology or an anti-transit bias.  If that's you, by all means, vote NO on Wednesday.

Seriously though, this is an important vote and the Mill Village is significantly impacted by the projects on the list.  It's easy to say no, but everyone should know what they are saying no to.  There are 157 total projects on the list that cover 10 counties.  The tax will raise about $8.5B over its 10 year life. The regional list will receive 85% of the total funds (~7.2B).  The other 15% will be divvied up by the region's municipalities for individual local projects.  See the Roswell list here.  Of the 85%, 52% will go to transit (that's bus & rail) and 48% will go to roads.  But, that's a little misleading since the road projects in many cases will qualify for matching state or federal funds.   So, it's more like 67% roads, 33% transit in addition to the 15% that will go to the localities which can be used as they please, primarily, from what I've seen, on roads and sidewalks. Here are some points everyone should know.

• Public Input - Over 200,000 metro residents had the opportunity to give input.  Actually everyone had the opportunity but 200,000 participated in some way.
• Local Control - 21 elected representatives from all around the region were tasked with putting the project list together.
• Unanimous Agreement - Once the project list was whittled down, all 21 officials AGREED that it was a list that met the needs of the region. 21 Politicians AGREED on something?
• Tax Sunset - This tax sunsets in 10 years or when the projected funds are raised.  An extension must be voted on by the region.  This is not another GA400 toll.
• NO PLAN B - The real Plan B is the status quo. So, if you like the status quo, vote no. Anyone who says there is one is pushing their own agenda or they just have their own idea of a better plan.  

How does this directly impact Mill Village?

A YES vote will accelerate the timeline for removal of the reversible lanes on Atlanta Street by ~4-5 years.  This project is fully funded by TSPLOST.  So, instead of getting a safe road in ~2020-2021, we would likely have one by about 2016-2017.  That in itself is enough secure my YES vote.  If you are considering voting no, just remember that you will undoubtedly be locking yourself into 8-10 more years of the suicide lane.  This road project also complements the DPZ Master Plan that was presented to the public last night at City Hall.

 

Other major projects that will impact us here in North Fulton are the $48M ($23M TSPLOST + $25M Federal) to improve traffic flow at the Holcomb Bridge/GA400 interchange and a total of $450M ($112M TSPLOST + $337M Federal) to improve flow at the I-285/GA400 interchange.  There's also a ton of money in there for roads all around North Fulton such as Arnold Mill and Old Milton.  These projects will be accelerated with TSPLOST and may never happen without it.

 

There will NEVER be a list of projects that suits everyone and there may never be an opportunity like this again in our lifetimes.  Remember that a no vote gives complete control back to GDOT and the state and takes it away from the region and municipalities.  Let me know if you have any questions as

I've done a lot of research on this topic.  You can also check out my article in the Roswell Current here.

 

Thanks!

 

Mike Hadden

image courtesy FakeMARTA

TIA2012 - Roswell Local Projects

As you may know, the TIA2012 or TSPLOST will return 15% of the total tax receipts back to local municipalities.  Roswell has been a little late to the party laying out it's project list.  Many municipalities aren't even producing a local list with the expectation that the tax will fail on July 31st.  Those elected officials obviously weren't Boy Scouts.  Roswell DOT presented our list to council at Monday night's city council meeting.

The great thing about our list is that it really focuses on pedestrian and bike resources.  It will improve overall safety and improve connectivity.  There are two groups of projects.  The first are signature projects and the second is 'potential projects' which fall into three main categories; sidewalks, complete streets, redevelopment connectivity.  Check them out below:

Signature Projects

• Early Off Ramp from SR 400 NB to Market Boulevard
• Holcomb Bridge Road Multi-Use Trail, Phase 2 (Steeplechase to HBMS)
• Holcomb Bridge Road Multi-Use Trail, Phase 3 (HBMS to Nesbit Ferry)
• Holcomb Bridge Road Multi-Use Trail, Phase 4 (Nesbit Ferry to Barnwell)
• Holcomb Bridge Road Multi-Use Trail, Phase 5 (Barnwell to Gerrards Landing)
• Eves Road Complete Street (Riverside to Eves Circle)
• Eves Road Multi-Use Bridge over Holcomb Bridge Road (Eves Circle to Scott Road)
• SR 120 Improvements (Trail Connection from Willeo Road to Square; Sidepath from Kroger to Just Friends)

Potential Projects List

• Old Mountain Park Road (Cobb County to Mountain Park Road)
• Select items from over 150 other projects on the Sidewalk Program Matrix
• Hardscrabble Green Loop Phase 2 including Hardscrabble/King intersection (Target/SR 92 area to King Road)
• Any Roswell Loop-related project
• Oxbo Road ROW and/or CST
• Sun Valley Road Phases 1, 2 and/or 3 ROW and/or CST
• Over 200 other projects on the Connectivity Program List

VOTE YES on July 31st, 2012

Vote No on August 1st, 2012

TIA/TSPLOST and Historic Gateway Planning Meetings

This week, there are two important meetings going on at City Hall that I encourage everyone to attend.  I may not depending on when the stork arrives at my house. 

On Monday, 5/21, starting at 5:30pm in the rotunda at City Hall, there will be a discussion of the upcoming TSPLOST Transportation Tax vote.  Attendees will hear from representatives from all sides of the spectrum.  Here is the list: Roswell Department of Transportation (RDOT), the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), the Council for Quality Growth (CQG), the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (NFCOC), Metro Atlanta Voter Education Network (MAVEN), Citizens for Transportation Mobility (CTM), the local grassroots Tea Party, and the Transportation Leadership Coalition (TLC).  Roswell has several horses in this race and residents should get informed asap.  That leads us to the next meeting.

On Wednesday, 5/23, starting at 6:00pm in council chambers at City Hall, Scott Ball, Senior Project Manager with from DPZ, will be presenting DPZ's completed work.  Attendees will see the Cultural Resources Study, Summary Report, Detailed Special Projects, and Design Standards.  The Historic Gateway Master Plan is intended to work in conjunction with the Historic Gateway Transportation Plan which is one of the projects that could be funded if the TSPLOST passes in July.

Please consider attending these meetings, educate yourself and voice your opinion.