Transit Lovers Take Note! Beltline Details Revealed
Decatur Metro | December 10, 2010Creative Loafing’s resident wonk de transit Thomas Wheatley dumped a crap load of Northeast corridor Beltline details on us in a post today. All fellow obsessives should really read the whole dang thing, but for those that just want a topline summary so they can get back to the Free-For-All Friday banter, here are various lines of info I think are worthy of note…
Construction of the 14-foot-wide trail is expected to begin in late January and will last, officials hope, seven months.
…Those familiar with this area of the Beltline know it dead ends into DeKalb Avenue, a busy thoroughfare used by cars zipping to and from downtown. Trees and a stone dust surface will be installed to allow cyclists and joggers to slow down or gather before pouring on to the street. The same concept will be used at 10th and Monroe.
…Cyclists and joggers should be pleased to know the trail will connect with the Freedom Park path, providing easier connections to Candler Park and Decatur.
Did someone say the magic “D” word?
…The historic (circa. 1906) bridge over Ponce will probably have to be removed, “de-leaded,” repainted, and re-installed. So don’t freak out when you’re driving or cycling along Ponce and something seems amiss.
…Beltline officials are keen on the idea of connecting the northeast segment’s future transit line with the downtown streetcar. The only problem is that the Beltline runs underneath Edgewood Avenue.
For a Beltline-proposed solution to this problem, you’ll have to click over to CL’s post. Wheatley DID do all the legwork ya know, I certainly deserves a little click-thru love for all the quoting I’m doing in this post!
Latest from Decaturish
I think we are now only about 47 years from rail! I’ve checked the website several times in the past few months and have no idea how to determine if rail is still even in the works other than very vague and unspecific descriptions of a “planned transit loop”
But – good news about the trail. And thanks to DM and CL for the regular updates.
Don’t mean to be a complainer here – progress on the trail is something, but we’ve had regular progress with the PATH for what – almost 2 decades now?
Well I guess it was just a matter of time before this beautiful structure would be torn down and replaced by one of hundreds of modern bridges I see being built around town. This bridge may be the last of its kind in the metro area but if it has to go to complete the beltline, then so be it. Oh well, no point in trying to save this old fossil when it can be transformed into a walking trail/bike path for a few people on bikes or those out for a weekend stroll.
I hope there are those in the General Assembly who will begin to question the wisdom of pouring so much money into building projects that seem to benefit a very small group and does very little to relieve traffic problems.
Chris, I think you misread about the bridge. It’s being dismantled, restored, and then reinstalled as is. That would seem to be in support of your sensibilities. Not against them. So maybe pouring money into it isn’t so bad after all.
Major Props to Thomas for all of the hard work he’s put into staying on top of this project! Terrific article & links!
DM, Thank you so much for keeping transit in the spotlight! You rock!
To the Beltline Folks: Keep on keepin’ on! Lots of us out here are rooting for y’all & this brilliant vision! The key to success is “Don’t Quit!”