Rail Line Blues

As published by Henry County Times,
February 1, 2006


District II Commissioner Elizabeth “B.J.” Mathis has emerged as a staunch opponent of the proposed commuter rail line to run from Henry County to Atlanta.

Photo by Mickie Jackson

Rail line blues

By Joshua Clark, Editor

A division has been drawn in Henry County, as well as in neighboring Clayton, over a proposed commuter rail line. Opponents say that the line would quickly become a black hole into which dollar after dollar of taxpayer money would be thrown, while proponents say the line would ease traffic congestion and serve as an impetus for rapid growth in Henry County.

The line has become a hot topic recently, with the introduction of House Bill 1033 at the Capitol in Atlanta by District 10 State Representative John Lunsford.

The Bill calls for a referendum for voters to cast their ballots on the fate of the rail line.The Bill, like the rail line proposal, has its opponents and supporters, and should it be passed by the state, rail line opponents believe that it will put the kiss of death on the commuter project.

This kind of maneuvering has become hallmark for the rail project, and both sides have developed passionate feelings about the issue, which has become so explosive that after repeated attempts, neither the Georgia DOT nor Kay Pippin, Executive Director of the Henry County Chamber of Commerce, could be reached for comment. But what will the rail line mean to Henry County if the project becomes a reality?

Critics point out that the figures released by the Georgia Department of Transportation show that they estimate only 200 people a day will use the Lovejoy line when it opens. State Representative Steve Davis says that he finds these figures to be lacking. He is credited with pointing out that with the money it will cost to create the rail line, a $25,000 car could be bought for each of the potential riders.

Davis has been an outspoken opponent of the rail line, although in a letter he wrote to the media thanking Lunsford, he was quick to note that he, Lunsford and the rest of the Transportation Committee remain neutral on the issue, even going so far as to accuse his detractors of being “conspiracy theorists.”

The proposal for the rail line includes $87 million in federal funding for the project, leaving the cities and counties along the line to make up the $19 million difference to complete the project. Henry County would be expected to sign a contract to chip in $5 million in start-up costs and to make up for whatever yearly operating costs are not covered by the fares charged to riders, estimated to be around $540,000 per year. This figure makes those in the opposition camp nervous.

“Operations costs are still unknown” said local pundit and Times columnist, Larry Stanley. “This means a fifty year agreement and generations of indebted taxpayers.”

As if the proposal could not look any more unattractive, Norfolk Southern, the commercial rail company approached to create the Lovejoy line, returned with an additional $8 million to the initial start-up estimate. District II Commissioner and Hampton resident Elizabeth “B.J.” Mathis has also come out in strong opposition to the rail line. Mathis believes that those who think the rail line sounds like a good idea may not think so with all of the facts.

“The majority of citizens who initially supported the rail thought a train would be running all throughout the day and they could jump on it to go shopping or downtown and ride back home,” Mathis said. “This isn't true.”

Mathis said that the proposal calls for four trains to run at a staggered schedule throughout the morning, and to remain in Atlanta until the evening when they will return to the south metro area.“Once residents hear this they realize that the rail line is of no benefit to Henry County,” Mathis continued.

A list of talking points against the rail system was released to the Times. Entitled “Just The Facts,” it is a laundry list of grievances against the project. Shortcomings like the need to find updated rail cars that meet the Americans With Disabilities Act guidelines for handicapped access, instead of forty year old cars which were originally tapped for the project, the estimated round-trip fare of $11.60 per rider, and the lack of any federal funds for Phase II of the project paint the proposed line as a rusty, archaic railway on an inevitable route to disaster.

What is also at stake here is the right for the citizenry whose pocketbooks will be affected to vote on whether or not they want the rail line at all.

Lunsford’s Bill has been rallied against by the Henry County Chamber of Commerce. In a series of emails, the Chamber urged members of its Transportation Committee to speak out against the Bill, effectively asking Chamber members to work against a referendum that would put control of the proposed rail project in the hands of the voters.

Mathis says she has a problem that the Chamber has chosen the other side of the fence on the proposal. “I don’t know the motives behind the Chamber’s position,” Mathis said. “What concerns me is that the Chamber is taking a position opposite the county on this issue. I don’t necessarily want to change the Chamber’s position, but I do want them to accept that the taxpayers in the county have a right to vote on this.”

But are the opponents of the rail line being short-sighted? The Georgia DOT has projected 3,800 riders on the rail line per day by 2030, and there is talk of future phases of the line leading down to Macon. Is it possible that the commuters of 2030 and beyond will breathe a sigh of thanks to the planners of today who had the foresight to go ahead with the rail line, or will the rail line be obsolete, another tax burden that no longer serves its purpose, and perhaps never did?

State transportation officials are scrambling to come up with solid figures to support or derail the Lovejoy line, but ultimately no real figures have been produced, and those that exist are ambiguous. Ambiguity seems to be the foundation of the project. For instance, most of the proposals documentation the Times was allowed to see showed fifty years from its start as some sort of termination for obligation from the municipalities involved. But what happens after fifty years? “That’s a very good question,” says Mathis. “I’m not sure. What is interesting to me is that no one has contacted Henry County about this. We have nothing but questions, no answers.”

But doesn’t the county have the final say on a rail system within our borders? Mathis says not necessarily. “If the GDOT wants it, there are ways for them to get us to comply,” she said. “They can withhold funding from other projects that we do want, for example.”

What seems to be the one solid aspect of the proposed commuter rail line is that there are holes in the plan big enough to drive a train through, or so hope the proponents of the plan. But these questions need answers before such a major commitment should be made. And what of the voters? If their confusion stemming from the proposal is anything like that of the opponents, a long period of education should take place before any vote is held, that is, if HB 1033 even goes through.

Posted by permission of Henry County Times