Commuter Rail Proposed

A proposed commuter rail between Athens and Atlanta is being considered. The stop would be on the east side of Winder. Some of the considerations for the line include ones about the type of communities that could form around the line. Proponents of "new urbanism," that is, the development philosopy that encourages placing neighborhoods of homes, shops and offices within a walk of one anouther--are hoping the proposed commuter line will lead to dense, mixed-use communities forming around the new train stops, similar to what happened along stops in the 1800s. But some people don't think that all the proposed stops would be amenable to that kind of development. One consideration is that large parking areas would have to be provided for commuters. Consultants are studying the proposal.

Mississippi Port Opens Container Freight Station

The Mississippi State Port Authority recently opened a new 105,000-square-foot Container Freight Station on the port's West Terminal. The station enables the Port of Gulfport to be more prepared to meet increasing cargo demands.

Auto Shipments Climb at Brunswick & Savannah Ports

The Port of Brunswick continues to be a major gateway for imported and exported automobiles, with over 4,000 cars (mostly imports) a week moving through the port during the first five months of the current fiscal year. The Port of Savannah, which has never developed the specialized facilities and support industries associated with becoming a major auto import/export port, is also seeing a rise in the number of autos they handle. The 2005 cars handled by the Port of Savannah between July and November 2000 reflect a 37 percent increase over the same period last year. This is still less than half of what the Port of Brunswick handles in a single week.

State of Tennessee Creates Commission to Study Rail System

The state of Tennessee has formed a 55 member Rail System Plan Advisory Committee to help the Tennessee Department of Transportation assess the state's present and future needs for freight traffic and intercity rail passenger service. The committee's study will be completed within 20 months. A combination of federal and state funds totaling $1.2 million were designated for the Rail System Plan.

Atlanta-Chattanooga Maglev Project Dropped

Atlanta will have to wait for its first magnetic levitation rail line. U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater announced Baltimore/Washington and Pittsburgh will share $14 million in federal funding to develop the nation's first Maglev lines for a feasibility study. One will eventually get $1 billion in federal funds to develop a Maglev line. Atlanta spent $5 million in federal funds developing a proposal to build a Maglev line between Hartsfield International Airport and Chattanooga. Ultimately, Atlanta hoped to get the $1 billion prize to see its concept come to life. While Atlanta is out of the running to be the first to have a Maglev line, the federal government awarded Atlanta $1 million to continue work on its proposal for a possible future project.

Kansas City Looks at Sales Tax for Light-Rail Plan

The Kansas City area will vote on a measure for a sales tax for its long-debated light-rail line in August. The sale tax would provide local financing to be matched with federal money. The twist behind the tax is that it could be tied to a new transportation development district that also would be empowered with bond issues. Establishing a light-rail district could offer several advantages. It could be extended beyond Kansas City. Also, it would circumvent a state law requiring at least a year between votes on identical taxes. In November, voters voted against a Kansas City-only levy. Because the district would be legally separate from municipalities to be served, these governments wouldn't incur any debt. The district's autonomous governance would focus attention and personnel that otherwise could be diverted by other projects. A study group, convened last year by Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes to study light rail, expects to recommend a route; estimate costs, which could approach $900 million; and identify financing sources by this spring.

New Mega-Airport Faces Mega-Competition

A mega-airport, planned for Hardee County, Florida, was to be one of the few airports in the United States, and the only Florida airport capable of handling Airbus double-decker jets, the largest commercial aircraft ever built. But now, the Orlando International Airport may expand two runways to also handle the aircraft. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority has already met with Boeing and Airbus, the two major aircraft manufacturers developing the jumbo jets. At the heart of the competition is the next oversized commercial jet, the Airbus A3XX. Once built, the aircraft will carry 555 passengers. Its cargo space is also oversized. Airbus already has commitments for 44 of the aircraft from four buyers: Singapore Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Air France, U.S. leasing company ILFC and Quantas airlines. The Hardee County Development Council still wants to construct the airport, even if other state airports also are capable of handling the Airbus. The county needs the 5,000 jobs the airport would provide because agriculture is on the wane in the area. But the cost of the airport, estimated to be $10 billion, may be hard for the privately run Hardee EDC to raise. There may be room for both airports in Florida. Florida is expected to more than double air passengers to 84 million annually by 2020, according to Florida Department of Transportation statistics.