By Saba Long
While you’re waiting for transit to come along the Atlanta BeltLine, be sure to give your feedback on potential transit routing at one of the upcoming community meetings.
Currently in year one, phase one of its 2030 Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP), the overarching project priority is light rail transit on the east and west corridors.
Ultimately, the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta BeltLine intend o integrate the Atlanta Streetcar and Atlanta BeltLine transit lines into a unified system.
Up for public input through the end of October, the BeltLine’ west transit routing options include MARTA connectivity on its Green Line and its Red and Gold Lines.
Along the Green Line, routes for consideration will connect to Ashby or Bankhead stations. Alternatively, an infill station – a stop constructed along a live rail alignment – could be built on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard.
Similarly, an infill station is under consideration at Murphy Avenue sandwiched between the Oakland City and West End stations on MARTA’s Red and Gold Lines.
Of the numerous alternative routes under consideration, transportation planners will have to balance sections of the final route being on a single track or gaining the ability to double-track at the street level – requiring the light rail vehicles to deal with road congestion, much like the soon-to-be launched Atlanta Streetcar.
By the way, the last time the Atlanta City Council was asked to approve a streetcar plan with various phases by the Atlanta BeltLine Inc., the action was tabled until the city could see the impact and results of the east-west Atlanta Streetcar.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has pledged that the streetcar will begin operating by the end of the year.
Learn more about the proposed options, and these are ways for you to provide your feedback at future meetings:
Westside Study Group Meeting
Monday, September 22, 2014 from 6:30pm-8pm, Atlanta Community Food Bank 732 Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard Atlanta, GA 30318
Monday, October 6, 2014 from 6:30pm-8pm, Atlanta Community Food Bank 732 Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30318
Southwest Study Group Meeting
Thursday, September 25, 2014 from 6:30pm-8pm Fulton County Central Training, 425 Langhorn Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30310
Thursday, October 9, 2014 from 6:30pm-8pm Fulton County Central Training ,425 Langhorn Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30310
Note to readers: Saba Long provides external and internal communications strategy for MARTA and other organizations.
Along Peachtree north from Midtown to Buckhead.
Nortwest from the Beltline up Marietta Blvd
Joe Seconder, getting bike lanes is hard enough, but streetcars would be a boom for the businesses along the corridor.
I’d like to see streetcars along memorial drive and Moreland ave.
I live along Memorial near Oakland Cemetery, so I am hardly impartial, but I think the beltline alignment that hits Irwin Street, goes along Hilliard/Grant, and continues down Memorial, would be a really good add; it would connect to current streetcar, MARTA, several city amenities, and be a huge boon to the redevelopment of Memorial which could be one of the best streets in the city with proper density, greenspace, and transportation options.
I’m good with this, but I think it’ll be a long time before that alignment happens given that MARTA already runs from Arts Center to Buckhead. If the line went from near to Arts Center up to the Buckhead Station, that would do nicely to fill in the gaps where MARTA doesn’t currently serve (except by bus).
The smartest route IMO would be up Grant to Memorial – connecting a few burgeoning neighborhoods, Oakland Cemetery and all the amazing development along Memorial Dr. It would definitely help spur existing momentum.
One might try this tool [http://bit.ly/1sAHTBt
It seems the streetcar’s main focus is to move people between the east side and west side sections of the beltline. If you want to focus on moving people inside the beltine, start with the old streetcar system as it was at its 1920s peak, and then update it. See http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7LB53fF3LaA/SF1yM9zOf6I/AAAAAAAAARs/Am68J_uR8zU/s1024/1924.jpg.
From BB’s comment below….would we be strapped with Georgia Power as the carrier and would they power the system with Vogtle genned nuke power or would it be more “visionary” to have someone like Richard Branson (he’s warmly embraced other modes elsewhere)operate the system in collaboration with solar power from an Elon Musk facility in South Georgia(perhaps)?
writes_of_weigh Georgia Power and its predecessors owned and operated the streetcar system from 1902 until the last one ran in 1949. They were glad to get out of the transit business because of the chronic labor union problems, and I strongly suspect they have no intention of returning to the business.
As far as Branson goes, he is 6 years late on delivering his spaceship. As for Musk, he chose Texas for his spaceship. So you’re stuck with the City of Atlanta and MARTA.