Where do you want Beltline transit to go? Here are planners’ ideas.
Project officials hope at least one of these light-rail segments could be funded by proposed one-cent sales tax
- Atlanta Beltline Inc.
- Behold! One of the segments above — or maybe a slight variation — might become the first Atlanta Beltline transit segment
Elected officials in metro Atlanta are drawing up lists of projects they want to receive funding for what’s been called the largest investment in roads, bridges and transit metro Atlanta’s seen in decades — a one-cent sales tax voters will decide next year and that, if passed, could generate an estimated $7 billion over 10 years for news roads, bridges and transit.
And Beltline bigwigs want at least one of the project’s future transit segments to have a shot at that cash.
To improve their chances, 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. The move drastically changes the Beltline’s reach — and just might impress state and elected officials who will decide which transportation projects receive funding from the tax. (More on why Beltline planners chose those spur routes, which are part of the city’s transportation plan but have not undergone extensive analysis, later in the post.)
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.
On Feb. 17, residents gathered at City Hall for the first of several “citywide conversations” Beltline officials have organized to present the potential transit segments. (Here’s an updated PDF of the evening’s presentation.) It’s all part of — stay awake here — the Transit Implementation Strategy, a year-long process to determine how the Beltline’s long-awaited light-rail component will be built.
Beltline officials dropped a lot of info on residents at the meeting. Expect more discussion of the segments — some of which might be a bit wonky — in the coming weeks. For right now, however, it’s best to offer the basics.
After the jump, a look at the concepts, plus some takeaways. Keep in mind that these are just segments that could be funded by the one-cent sales tax. Other future segments — and perhaps some of these — might be built with funding from federal, local, private or other sources. We’ve included all the text from the specific PowerPoint slides in case readers had any specific questions about routes and other aspects.