Fresh thinking on mobility warrants appreciation

I prepare these remarks as a plea to my neighbors throughout our 13-county Atlanta Regional Commission to pause and express mutual thanks to those responsible for the majestic changes evolving in our myriad methods of mobility. I am referring, of course, to the city, county, state, and federal officials — as well as members of MARTA’s Board — who are reacting to growing public sentiment and looking with favor on mature management of our maneuverability.

It has been 50 years since Ivan Allen was mayor and I was president of the Atlanta City Council and we obtained from the Georgia General Assembly the right, by referendum, to create and operate the MARTA transportation system. It failed public passage, probably because it was to be financed with ad valorem taxes, whereby it became my “opportunity” as mayor a couple of years later. This I undertook successfully the idea of a sales-tax-subsidized fare, which made us the envy of most urban centers in America.

As anxious citizens would ask me when the construction should end, I would always respond, “hopefully never,” as I envisioned the system eventually expanding south to Griffin, north to Rome, east to Athens, and all other population growth areas. But government moves slowly (which I first learned serving on the City Council of nearby 200-population Mountain Park). In fact, it was initially funny to see Ivan — a giant of commerce before his election — fume over finding document directions in his desk “out box” not executed by the day’s close of business.

Mobility, I reasoned was man’s fifth freedom, without which you are imprisoned within the block wherein you live, unable to get to work, to shops, to parks, to church, to doctors, and more. I now manage the nonprofit Buckhead Coalition civic organization, and we want those from far and wide to be able to get to us, and we want to get to their outlying places as well.

When my administration was developing MARTA, I did not get involved in the deliberations over routing to places of density vs. places where it could be expected to generate density, nor in the deliberations over types of equipment, such as metal wheels on fixed tracks vs. rubber tires on changeable roadways. The overriding decision was to move in a positive way with mobility for the future, or remain stagnant like the past.

I’m now 90 years old and have waited almost half a century for the gift you men and women holding governmental power now have in your hands, for which I express my trust and respect. So please move forward with deliberate speed. I’ll not fly-speck your deliberations, but encourage you every step of the way, with sincere appreciation.

I have been called “the father” of MARTA (and after 22 years in elected offices, I’ve been called many other things), but I have never regretted our decision to be decisive about public transportation. Those making the new decisions and those encouraging them to do so today, will be proud every time you see a train or bus go by relieving traffic congestion, lessening pollution, reducing accidents, and helping build the economy. Back then we received the endorsement of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Domestic Workers Union — a feat never since replicated, and today the MARTA system proudly serves some 400,000 daily.

The proficiency with which MARTA has been managed in recent years has received multiple recognition awards. Nevertheless, independent operations will be far superior to no operation, so let us all rise above debated differences over race, political philosophy, geography, or other.

We can plan multiple reforms in the future. I’ll even remind you that about 50 years ago I proposed the farebox be free, but was voted down by leadership of Fulton Commissioner Charlie Brown who convinced the Authority that homeless persons would sleep on the system if it was free. So we compromised on 15-cent fares which were maintained for seven years. Let us hold this and other hot issues for another day, and move forward now “sine die”.