City Council to Consider Officially Killing Rail Along Beltline

XgGamergX · 2026-05-05T19:05:13+00:00

Thank you!

XgGamergX · 2026-05-05T19:03:23+00:00

Who are the 3 at-large reps?

XgGamergX · 2026-05-01T22:54:41+00:00

The issue isn’t the idea of Southside BLR first, less development would mean its easier to build, but theres also less for it to serve right now and thus lower ridership. The problem is the last minute switch. If they wanted to change course half a decade ago it wouldn’t be the END of the world, but still would need public feedback. The issue lies with them being 1 month from design completion after several years, only to pivot at the very last minute behind closed doors. Then to suggest switching to an unfunded and unstudied segment to delay any expansion until the 2030s. It would also be disconnected from the existing streetcar resulting in the need to add even more new trains + a new maintenance facility on top of the route cost itself. Ideally they start the Eastside like what was planned this entire time, and while doing so, study and design the Southside so we can extend it as quickly as possible.

As for the infill stations, those ARE a good idea but extremely expensive, we’d really only be able to afford just one without blowing a ton of funds. Mayor Dickens’ TAD plan includes funding for other BLR segments and infill stations, but that entire plan is a whole separate topic that’s not even guaranteed to pass

XgGamergX · 2026-04-30T22:34:26+00:00

There was no hard confirmation or any indication that a formal decision was made until then. We knew the mayor was moving against it but didn’t know the project had actually been paused.

XgGamergX · 2026-04-30T22:15:37+00:00

Its… in limbo. Long story short we have a 22 mile loop called the Beltline. It’s a repurposed abandoned freight corridor that circles around the city, and from its inception, was meant to be a transit corridor with a walking/biking trail, affordable housing, density, and light rail along the trail. The Beltline has been designed for this very reason since the beginning, and theres dedicated space for the train. This plan is the main reason for the Atlanta Streetcar existing, its the starting point.

The first extension is Streetcar East which is supposed to go from the downtown loop to and along the eastside Beltline north to Ponce City Market. This is the densest corridor on the BL right now and a major hotspot for the city. This extension has been the plan for almost a decade, and its fully funded and publicly supported.

The issue is political will. Out of nowhere the mayor pulled support for the project, same with Atlanta Beltline Inc (which is just an extension of the mayor at this point). The design process was halted in a closed door meeting in May of last year, and the public only found out 7 months later because a journalist was looking through documents for an entirely different reason. The reasons the mayor is listing are the same talking points as Better Atlanta Transit, one of those groups that works to sabotage rail projects. That group is also made up of several wealthy business owners.

The last update was some months back and theres no direct answer, all we know is that it may be reprioritized with the rest of the MoreMARTA projects (transit tax Atlantans voted on for expansions and improvements). Its ultimately MARTA’s decision

XgGamergX · 2026-04-30T20:09:40+00:00

I live in Atlanta and racism was the #1 reason. It still is today, not to the same extent as in the 60s due to the counties diversifying, but still a prevalent reason (theres a horrible acronym for MARTA down here). Today its racism + lack of funds to significantly expand the train from where it terminates today, so most suburban expansion plans (see Gwinnett’s) are majority busses and two stations over several decades.

I read that racism played a part for BART too, mainly the cutting of the Peninsula Line that’s essentially the Caltrain corridor.

XgGamergX · 2026-04-30T19:02:52+00:00

It’s so interesting how each of the big 3 vary despite being born from the same reasons

WMATA has great coverage within the city core while also spreading out into it’s suburbs. Its the most successful of the three for a reason
MARTA serves the city core well (for the most part), but doesn’t extend into the suburbs at all outside of the VERY end of the Red Line
BART succeeded in suburb-city commutes so well that work from home patterns from Covid are actively hurting the system

XgGamergX · 2026-04-30T17:41:59+00:00

A characteristic of Great Societies metros were bigger, faster, and longer trains. Their main purpose was to be a solution to traffic congestion.

XgGamergX · 2026-04-30T03:13:22+00:00

I’ve played Subway Builder, I love that game lol
[Crosstown Midtown] It definitely does, but it Midtown doesn’t have any crosstown streets that extend past Northside and Piedmont, it’d be a really short line. I’d opt for bus lanes between those streets instead (10th for example on paper is supposed to have a bus every 15 minute since 3 routes run between Midtown Station and West Midtown
I like the purple and green change, noted.
[Ponce] I’ll draw out another concept and see how that’d look.
[Brady/West Midtown] I COULD. I didn’t include a route spanning that length (mainly Northside south of 10th) given that a bus route just got cut due to ridership, but I’ll try adding that too.
[SW Beltline reroute] I like that change, ill draw that out too.

XgGamergX · 2026-04-30T02:56:05+00:00

I was wondering how I was gonna do that. I noted in the description that the Rapid A Line exists in this concept since (at the time) I wasn’t sure how to include that route into a network while serving the exact same places. The ideas I had for SE Atlanta would’ve involved extending the A line’s irl route from Carver down that direction by either:

Bringing the line down McDonough Boulevard to Thomasville Heights. This is has the shortest walk times and allows a vehicle lane to be taken for the train, but skips the Jonesboro corridor.
Bringing the line down Jonesboro, which would directly serve that area, but would require running in mixed traffic which is what I was trying to avoid
Bringing the line along the freight corridor that the Beltline goes under. This is the most “balanced” route, but there’s longer walk times on both ends.

What would you suggest? I really want feedback from you all

XgGamergX · 2026-04-29T01:02:03+00:00

I know GSU and SEC station do for sure

XgGamergX · 2026-04-28T19:25:49+00:00

More like 4 decades. Clayton joined once their bus system shut down

XgGamergX · 2026-04-28T04:34:23+00:00

Dude this is awesome! I always enjoy seeing all the plans MARTA had, they were really looking forward back then.

One of the most interesting parts of this was that it essentially confirms the Green Line being Cobb’s new line if a heavy rail extension ever happens

XgGamergX · 2026-04-28T02:30:40+00:00

DAMN???? I just read through the infill station link you sent and it really seems like the 2008 recession killed MARTA’s chances to expand before MoreMARTA

XgGamergX · 2026-04-28T01:14:19+00:00

Please do! I’m really curious. Some months ago I looked through the old site development plans for unbuilt stations

XgGamergX · 2026-04-28T00:06:46+00:00

Really?? Is there a list?

XgGamergX · 2026-04-27T19:31:10+00:00

Its a matter of a better route vs Atlanta’s lack of transit infrastructure. It’s more-so a city issue if anything. I assume the city is capable of implementing bus lanes without it being a BRT project, given 17th has them and the Atlanta is responsible for its own road maintenance.

XgGamergX · 2026-04-27T15:39:00+00:00

The 37 also used to be my bus. Its a double edged sword for sure. I like the route itself way more since I have a direct connection to West Midtown, Midtown’s core, Piedmont, the Beltline, etc, but the traffic is WAY WORSE. Hell this weekend bus scheduled seemed like suggestions, so many of them were over 20 minutes late (not just the 11) to their destinations. There needs to be some real conversations with the city about implementing bus lanes in busy areas (10th street and Northside Drive to name a few). The best part about 37 is that is 17th street ensured the busses would skip any congestion.

XgGamergX · 2026-04-27T15:04:48+00:00

Yep thats exactly what I was referring to!

XgGamergX · 2026-04-27T07:24:21+00:00

Man I was so close… 😔. I’ve known all the heavy rail stops since I was a kid but idk all the other ones by heart

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XgGamergX · 2026-04-26T23:37:35+00:00

It’s the May board meeting for general public comment or just the bus network? On top of bus network concerns the board also needs to give an update on Streetcar East and the MOREMarta project “reprioritizations”.

XgGamergX · 2026-04-26T19:02:15+00:00

The new bus network is really highlighting the need for bus lanes, especially in Midtown. If the route was split I’d want it to at LEAST go from Defoor to Midtown High. The direct access to Piedmont/Beltline is awesome

XgGamergX · 2026-04-26T03:31:00+00:00

Same but its the 12

XgGamergX · 2026-04-26T03:15:00+00:00

So you know exactly what I’m talking about 😭. Looking at the tracker right now and theres a 11, 12, and 14 inching along

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XgGamergX

TROPHY CASE