Commuter Rail Stymied In Atlanta

"When U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters visited Atlanta earlier this month, she made a courtesy call to Harold Linnenkohl, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Transportation...According to Peters, the topic of commuter rail — specifically a proposed line between Atlanta and the town of Lovejoy in south Clayton County — didn't come up in conversation. 'I think we must have gotten busy talking about our new grandchildren,' Peters said."

"While the federal government has already committed $87 million (along with $20 million in state money) to help launch Georgia's first commuter rail line, these two transportation bigwigs spent precious time chatting about baby booties and bottles."

"That's a vexing and inexcusable omission. At least Peters, who was recently appointed by President Bush, will likely be gone by the next election. But long after that, Georgians who are clamoring for alternatives to commuting by car will probably be stuck with the same myopic policy-makers who seem genetically incapable of getting us out of this mess."

"Time and again, weak-kneed DOT officials, a disinterested governor and state lawmakers beholden to the road-building lobby have successfully stymied meaningful progress. If those bureaucratic delays continue, metro Atlanta will pay dearly. Congestion already costs the region an estimated $1.8 billion a year. Gasoline prices are sky high and could spike again. Federal seed money for rail projects is increasingly competitive, and other Sun Belt states, such as Texas and Florida, are moving forward with planned commuter rail lines while Georgia dithers."