Ken Edelstein’s Green Building Chronicle has provided some of the best, in-depth coverage of the Atlanta transportation sales tax process to-date.

Just two days ago, Edelstein did a rather extensive analysis that showed that even though transit requests made up over 65% of the original project requests from local governments, all three proposed scenarios from the Atlanta Regional Commission – even the transit-heavy one – gave transit less than 50% of the total $6.1 billion available funding.  And a bit closer to home, none of the proposed scenarios funded the $1 billion+ Clifton Corridor MARTA line with more than $50 million.

However, today there are signs that the roundtable wants to dedicate more money – at least 50% – to transit, and big transit projects at that.  Ken reports that these were the seven transit projects that were “approved” – though approval apparently means nothing – at today’s roundtable…

• • $825 million for a rail line from Midtown to the Cumberland area that eventually would be extended to Town Center Mall,
• • $700 million for a Clifton Corridor rail line, connecting the Lindbergh MARTA station to Emory University,
• • $600 million for to go toward rail lines proposed by the Atlanta Beltline,
• • $500 million to keep MARTA in a “State of Good Repair,”
• • $185 million to replace the state’s share of operating funds for Georgia Regional Transit Authority bus service,
• • $100 million to restore Clayton County’s recently shuttered bus service, and
• • $100 million to plan and begin implementation of light rail northeast up I-85

According to Edelstein, one definite hurdle with this allocation brought up by GDOT’s Todd Long at the meeting is that none of these projects are fully funded at these levels, so it’s unclear where they would make up the difference in order to be constructed.  However, the fact that large transit projects are back on the table, with the Clifton Corridor receiving the second largest chunk of funding, will certainly be a positive sign for transit advocates dismayed at the backseat that transit had taken in the ARC’s recommendations.

Clairmont @ Briarcliff, north of Decatur, GA (pic submitted by Mrs. DM)

A bit more info HERE.

From a note sent out by Decatur High School principal Lauri McKain…

In light of the current heat index, Decatur High School and Renfroe Middle School, are cancelling all outdoor practices between the hours of 12pm and 6pm. If your child participates in an athletic team, or band, the head coach will be in contact about adjusted practice schedules. This will be in place until further notice.

The note can be found on the high school’s website.

In case you were looking to open your own restaurant in downtown Decatur – and honestly, who isn’t these days? – the Schumacher Group just posted the Watershed space for lease on their website.

In related news, Patch editor Ralph Ellis snagged a nice little interview with former Watershed chef Scott Peacock about Watershed’s impending move outside of the Decatur city limits.  Here’s a little taste from Peacock…

Watershed and Peacock are often credited with sparking the town’s growth and making Decatur a dining destination. In a telephone interview, Peacock said he doesn’t know if that’s true.

“I’m not somebody who thinks in those terms, though it’s a wonderful thing to hear,” he said.

(Pic above from courtesy of Schumacher)