Transportation

Atlanta Commuter Rail Platform Back on Front Burner

Cousins Properties and the state of Georgia are discussing a deal in which the Atlanta-based real estate giant would buy downtown Atlanta's "gulch" from Norfolk Southern and then sell the property for a new multimodal station. The site is bordered by Philips Arena and CNN Center and was to be developed into a $300 million commuter rail platform by the state under former Gov. Roy Barnes. But Barnes' shocking loss to Gov. Sonny Perdue in the November elections has put the site's fate up in the air.

North Carolina's Global TransPark Celebrates New Runway

When announced 10 years ago, the state of North Carolina had huge plans for the North Carolina Global TransPark. It was to be a massive airfreight center with just-in-time manufacturing facilities lining each runway, much like that found at Ross Perot's Alliance airport in Fort Worth. While those plans have not materialized, slowly but surely the Global TransPark, located in Kinston, N.C., is taking shape. In December, TransPark officials announced the opening of its new 11,500-foot runway. The runway is the longest nonmilitary one in the state. And in December officials at the TransPark leased their first industrial building and now plan to build two more. To date Marconi Commerce Systems, Partrade Trading, Segrave Aviation, Neil Medical and Mountain Air Cargo have built facilities at the TransPark, creating about 2,500 jobs.

Baltimore Mass Transit Rail Price Tag at $12 Billion

The Greater Baltimore Committee is backing a proposed mass transit rail system that will take 10 years to complete and cost an estimated $12 billion. A spokesperson for the Maryland Mass Transit Administration said that the federal government typically pays for most of the cost to build such a rail system with municipalities paying for operating costs. However, the official said that other markets will be competing for federal transportation dollars for their own mass transit rail systems and because of that, Maryland and Baltimore will have to pay a portion of the construction costs of the system. A new rail system in Baltimore would create an estimated 114,000 new jobs.

Maryland Lawmakers Ask Governor to Halt Maglev Project

Because of costs, community and environmental concerns, Maryland state legislators have asked new Gov. Robert Ehrlich to drop plans for a Maglev rail system in the Baltimore/Washington area. The area is being considered by the federal government to become the first site for Maglev in the country. A Maglev system in Baltimore/Washington is expected to cost $3 billion, with $2 billion coming from state and local governments. The federal government is expected to announce this year the site for the country's first Maglev project. Baltimore/Washington and Pittsburgh are being considered.

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Named No. 2 Airport in U.S.

London-based Skytrax Research has named the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport as the second-best airport in the nation according to a survey done by the company. Making the report's top four airports include Chicago's O'Hare International (No. 1), Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Los Angeles International and Pittsburgh International.