Eric

Eric

@howephil.bsky.social

A Land Of Opportunity aLandOf.org

431 followers207 following1.7K posts

Updated this to: -Separate O&M Costs -All project costs editable / adjustable -When O&M budget is unused, leverage it for additional Capital Projects -See how much budget remains across each fund -Add more funding sources Definitely will make an Atlanta bike network version 👀

Eric@howephil.bsky.social

Ever wonder which More MARTA projects Atlanta can fund with what’s being collected? And what if we added a few levers? Now you can & rank your own list! Working on separating out O&M Costs per project so we can bypass the gaslighting 😉 Want the link? HMU.

THE CHILLS I GOT after transition from the old John Lewis speech, Ossoff stating “with a defense of voting rights so fierce that no plot against the franchise can foil the will of the people”, AND THEN THEY CUT TO MY POLLING SITE AND NEIGHBORHOOD REC CENTER LET FREEDOM RING, BABY!!!

Oliver Willis@owillis.bsky.social

This is the good shit.

Ever wonder which More MARTA projects Atlanta can fund with what’s being collected? And what if we added a few levers? Now you can & rank your own list! Working on separating out O&M Costs per project so we can bypass the gaslighting 😉 Want the link? HMU.

Ukrainian Cultural Festival & Market this Saturday 1-5 in North Decatur. Foods all but guaranteed to be delicious!! All proceeds go to those in need in Ukraine. Consider making it if you’re able. I’m anticipating it to be a relatively smaller crowd, but honestly don’t know.

REMINDER: The approved 2016 referendum explicitly calls out O&M costs funded in More MARTA (MM) transit expansion. City’s audit of MARTA showed 45% of MM budgeted to O&M. Truth remains & the Mayor, who has represented Atlanta in a citywide seat since 2013, knows better 👀

See how long those O&M costs are for the projects worked on so far? That means he continue to grow our O&M budget yet have few actual transit expansion that consumes said O&M costs. By the time any new line delivers, hundreds of millions more will exist for O&M, untouched.

$7Bil Plan: Use More MARTA funds for both capital & OpEx costs as intended in 2016 referendum. Allocate % of 5 year TSPLSOT / Bond packages for transit & TOD w/ affordable housing. Allocate % of *new* TAD for same^^ Build Campbellton, Infill Stations, Beltline Rail… NEXT!

Absolutely nobody is going to love the timeframe post 2050- however we should also leverage the Hotel Motel tax to fund transit & trail costs. Forget funding a stadium for a billionaire. #1 tourist destination is the Beltline and we absolutely should be backing it with more $.

Around 1/3 of the Hotel Motel tax is spoken for until 2050, then iirc opens up. We should also take a hard look at what that remainder of the tax $$$ is being positioned for prior to 2050. There is opportunity here and each rock should be turned over just in case.

Eric reposted

Reminder: Atlanta Beltline Rail is a *subset* of transit expansion projects funded back in 2016. Many are already moving forward: -Capitol Ave -Cleveland -Metropolitan -Campbellton -Murphy Crossing Beltline rail projects have not progressed in years. Monday’s vote helps get us out of the mud.

North Ave has high probability to move forward. From a budget perspective, looks like North & Peachtree should advance without issue. North Ave’s biggest issues are right of way constraints that will impact traffic. Commuters are going to hate it west of North Ave to Northside.

Eric reposted

Better Atlanta Transit is an astroturfed campaign of wealthy nimbies who stand to profit from keeping the Beltline exclusive. The Beltline is a public asset we all paid into, not your personal backyard, believe it or not 🤷‍♀️ Also hilarious that one of you is going rouge posting on Bluesky lol

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Eric reposted

This has to be a joke right? Only councilmember in the city fighting for working people and then you get the "it's a linear park for me and my dog" crowd pretending like they care about good stewardship of our money.

These fuckers don’t show up for transit projects other than trying to kill the singular transit project with dedicated right of way separated from car traffic. Kelsey’s not stopping anything- they’re accelerating a funded project people have been waiting decades for.

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Eric reposted

Why demand immunity unless you are sure that your constituents have lawsuits lined up, and that you will lose said lawsuits

Eric@howephil.bsky.social

Insult to injury following death of Mr. Sood at the Shared Peachtree project removed, City of Atlanta is trying to change state law: 🚨 if I’m understand correctly: Governments would be immune from financial claims regarding negligence of public infrastructure maintenance 🚨 @jasondozier.bsky.social

Insult to injury following death of Mr. Sood at the Shared Peachtree project removed, City of Atlanta is trying to change state law: 🚨 if I’m understand correctly: Governments would be immune from financial claims regarding negligence of public infrastructure maintenance 🚨 @jasondozier.bsky.social

This stance by the city in active litigation poses significant risk to public infrastructure and lives throughout the entire state of Georgia. The trial deserves broader coverage & both elected officials and non-elected officials should step in to take ownership & resolve. @mattacpc.bsky.social

For everyone keeping track, I’ve highlighted which City of Atlanta’s More MARTA projects are behind schedule. Answer: Every single fucking one. This is after changing project priorities a 5th time, though the 2018 plan adopted also had 15 Versions. Leadership is failing.

Lmao I knew that Five Points renovation wasn’t on the More MARTA technical assessment as a major project, only “General maintenance and aesthetic improvement; Install new signage/wayfinding” What I overlooked was the project wasn’t even on the initial map voters approved 👀

Okay okay they added the blue dot back in before the vote. Original map was from back in March of 2016. They added the blue dot perhaps around June I was able to trace back.

With More @MARTAtransit on pace to clear $4 Billion, we should allocate budgets for specific projects & categories: 1. General Expansion (Campbellton, ART, Bankhead platform extension) 2. Beltline Rail 3. Infill Stations 4. Service Enhc. & Maint. (Bus, 5P, Transit Centers)

While we definitely should plan per project, for some thinking about allocations may be easier to digest: $1.5B General Expansion $1.5B Beltline Rail $0.5B Infill Stations $0.5B Service Enhancements & Maintenance

$1.5B for General Expansion lands nearly all of the BRT, ART, & platform extension (helps run green line further east & reduce wait times at those stations). One missing project is Northside Drive… which if we budget appropriately, may be able to be accommodated. Clifton fits.

The number of Atlanta City Council Members signing on the resolution to advance Beltline Rail is growing… Not all signatures included yet. The great thing? We have enough money to advance the rail in addition to various other projects. Sample in pic 2. Let’s get moving!

Here’s where my head is for More MARTA expansion, with mostly existing projects: - Cap 5P Reno at $50mil - Cap Service Enhancements at $125mil - Buy Hulsey Yard for TOD & Station - Mville & MC Infill Stations Bolster w/ 5yr Bonds/TSPLOST & new TAD for additional $1.5 - $3 Bil

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Now things I *DO NOT* love about the plan: - Westside land use is over indexed on single family homes - North & Northwest transit service overlooked - Railroad crossings still a PITA - Regional expansions limited - HRT costs high so limited ability to expand - Current oversight

If I got to change up / add in few more projects… I probably would. NW, North, & parts of SE Atlanta kind of hosed from the existing list.

Here’s where my head is for More MARTA expansion, with mostly existing projects: - Cap 5P Reno at $50mil - Cap Service Enhancements at $125mil - Buy Hulsey Yard for TOD & Station - Mville & MC Infill Stations Bolster w/ 5yr Bonds/TSPLOST & new TAD for additional $1.5 - $3 Bil

- Campbellton moves forward ASAP - Eastside Beltline gets built up to Piedmont Park - Southside Beltline connected to Eastside - Westside goes to Boone infill- green line trumps redundancy -Streetcar West connecting AUC, who now has 3 stations - North Ave & Clifton funded

Does it pen out? Yep, including with 40% buffer. Attaching the funding options and route costs for posterity. I even inflated the 5P Reno costs to $125 mil (we REALLY should not be covering $200mil for it from More MARTA fund).

BeltLine Transit Study Meeting = nothing burger. 🍔 No timeline for rail. No elected officials on site. No MARTA & limited Beltline leaders. BeltLine *TO START* design for Murphy Crossing, wanting 10-20%. Taxpayers raised a shitton of money & there’s little to show for it.

Eric reposted

Why is the city still delaying the streetcar 🚃 extension after the Mayor changed priorities? 👀 We voted for it to be on the Beltline and already paid for it! So lets get this thing built!

City, MARTA, & Beltline leadership have a debt to pay Atlanta’s constituents. $1.2 Billion will be raised by end of Mayor’s 2nd Term, yet highest cost project delivered will be renovation of Five Points. -Campbellton -Mechanicsville -North Ave -Beltline Rail Give us projects we can use.

Atlanta DSA@atldemsoc.bsky.social

Starting tomorrow, table for Beltline Rail! We'll be on the Beltline once a week, talking to passersby about the need to build the rail! Sign up for a tabling shift at the link in our bio 🌹

Will communities along Ralph David Abernathy & Georgia Ave be provided a safe, direct route between one another & connected with the @atlantabeltline.org? Or will design sacrifice continuity, lowering safety & quality, retaining disconnection. You help decide the outcome.

Eric reposted

I just rode my bike for the first time in at least 10 years. Pumped the flat tires, scrubbed off the obvious dirt, and rode it around a cul-de-sac a few times. Can confirm that you never forget how to ride a bike! Can also confirm that you should not keep your bike under the deck for 10 years.

Eric reposted

Holy shit we’re flying like a bat out of hell. #Acceler8

Qagggy!@qagggy.bsky.social

I’m doing something I almost never do. Riding the 8 eastbound at rush hour.

Two opportunities this week, Tu. & Th, to show up & ensure quality, continuous, & inviting design for RDA / Georgia Ave project! A vital crosstown connection for all of Atlanta, while directly benefiting Adair Park, Pittsburgh, Mechanicsville, Summerhill, & Grant Park neighbors!