Without rail in the BeltLine SSD, Atlanta will cement inequity into the city fabric.

On the face of it, the BeltLine Special Services District currently under consideration by Atlanta City Council sounds promising: The BeltLine trail is a favorite destination for residents and visitors alike. How can more of a good thing possibly be bad?   

The real magic of the original BeltLine vision is that the inclusion of BOTH trail and rail provides a way to connect all of Atlanta. It would unlock mobility for neighborhoods that don’t currently have it, and improve accessibility for all. Once dubbed the emerald necklace because of the circular ring of parks and greenspace, a BeltLine with a rail transit option provides much-needed equity to our city and its inhabitants.

Without rail transit, the magical emerald necklace is just a plain concrete necklace. Currently, long-term residents are being pushed out because the benefits that transit would bring haven’t materialized, while the cost of housing and car ownership often consumes more than half their income. They still don’t have easy access to higher paying jobs. The BeltLine trail will feel more like a canyon, with parking decks sprouting up around the trail as the SSD further cements our city’s dependence on cars. 

This is not the vision Atlanta had when we came together in support of the Beltline. 

The transit funding blueprint we released in January relies on the same funding mechanism - except that we recommend a much larger SSD, and the inclusion of transit. If the BeltLine SSD passes without including transit, Atlanta will miss another opportunity to begin to address its glaring inequity issues with transit.    

Starting today (Feb 15), Atlanta Beltline Inc. (ABI) is hosting a series of five public input zoom meetings. If you want a city that lifts up ALL residents, please attend one the meetings. If you want to make the most of this historic opportunity to build equity for all Atlantans, please attend. If you’d like to see the magic of this emerald necklace, please attend.

When you attend, you will hear community-minded residents just like you asking for an expansion of the SSD to include funding for rail. It’s time to add your voice and demand rail, and ensure that Atlanta’s leaders bring our city together.  

READY TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD?

Ready to advocate for rail, but aren’t quite sure what to say? BeltLine Rail Now will provide you a few talking points. Complete this form and let us know which meeting you’ll attend. (All meetings are from 6pm - 8pm)