Connecting the Beltline to Downtown & Midtown
Decatur Metro | March 1, 2011 | 11:18 am
CL’s Thomas Wheatley pointed out yesterday that in coming up with transportation projects to propose for the 2012 one-cent sales tax transportation referendum, Beltline project planners “have made the radical decision to veer from the Beltline’s familiar leaf-shaped loop and propose a transit spur into Midtown and downtown.”
One connects the Beltline to the already federally funded “TIGER Streetcar”, which goes all the way to Centennial Park. The other option up in Midtown has transit along North Avenue connecting to the North Ave. MARTA station.
Segments currently under consideration are in RED on the map above. Here’s a bit more detail on these projects from Wheatley…
Among the concepts under consideration: Light-rail from southwest Atlanta to Georgia Tech; Streetcars zipping from Midtown to Piedmont Park and north toward Lindbergh; and a transit line that, in addition to linking with the downtown streetcar, would connect Glenwood Park to the Bank of America Plaza.
Wheatley speculates that planners picked up these new segments to impress the state and local officials who are tasked with coming up with the final list of transportation projects that will be included in the Atlanta region referendum.
Lots more maps and detail in Wheatley’s post. It’s a good ‘un! And if you’re really up for some wonk, check out the Beltline presentation on the subject HERE!
Thank you DM and the CL folks for getting the word out. This presentation was helpful. It is good to read more detail about Transit Implementation Strategy is getting such focus.
The timelines on page 6 of the presentation are particularly encouraging. (“In Service” between 2014 and 2016? Could that be possible, even if it’s one section of track? or does that mean the funding mechanism is “in service”?)
Project Schedule on p. 9 also helpful (to see what the next steps are).
The character of the proposal appeals to the regional board’s investment criteria. Otherwise, most Beltline segments would very likely be rejected from consideration.
Should suspicion rise when such a “visionary” plan, largely impervious to taxpayer suggestions, contorts rather quickly to take in taxpayer dollars?
Supposing a Beltline transit segment did end up on the regional project list, I’m not confident that it would sway enough ITP voters on the ballet measure.
Should those outside the city of Atlanta fund the Beltline with local taxes?
Isn’t that question true of all projects in any referendum that is more that is more than purely local?
To the same point, why would someone in Oakhurst support work in Great Lakes?
And, the Atlanta Beltline hasn’t contorted to anything. It has evolved as any good project should.
Connecting neighborhoods is great. But connecting neighborhoods and job centers is even better.
It’s becoming a streetcar network that runs, in part, on the Atlanta Beltline.
Those are changes that make solid, practical sense.
I don’t know what “purely local” means. Your municipality should give you equal representation; I don’t see that the same applies here (to this transpo. region).
I remarked on the circumstance of the proposal, not the quality.
` It’s becoming a streetcar network that runs, in part, on the Atlanta Beltline.
Instead of putting a streetcar on the Beltline ROW, why not put a streetcar on… the street?
Hence, the “in part” comment.
Yes, that’s the part I questioned.
Old School, I’m with you: “connecting neighborhoods with job centers is even better…”.
That should be top priority!! Consider that the Emory/CDC/VA Hospital is the third largest employer in Atlanta and yet have such poor public transportation access, this should take priority over streetcars to Centennial Park or any other plan.
Since Bill Floyd is on the committee what are the chances he can get a Decatur connection to the Beltline?
I presume Bill’s got that in his back pocket.
(a Breeze card)