Advice for Atlanta’s Council and Mayoral Candidates
"BeltLine rail not an ordinary transit project. It is really about Atlanta's future."
By Beth Smith
Say it. Build it. Candidates running in Atlanta's city elections need to show voters they understand the far-reaching benefits of transit on the BeltLine… and that we're rapidly running out of time.
If you're running for office in Atlanta, you'll definitely want to understand why that's not hyperbole. And, hopefully, you've got a plan to light a fire under MARTA.
Rail Writers is your opportunity to share your unique perspective on our city, its history, and our relationship to transit. More info coming soon.
The BeltLine is the largest economic revitalization project undertaken in Atlanta in decades. Other than the airport, I can't think of anything that comes even close. We've already seen the huge financial payoff that putting in a sidewalk, parks and art can deliver. Just think what can be accomplished by connecting 45 neighborhoods with reliable transit that -- instead of being stuck in traffic -- runs on tracks embedded in grass, surrounded by flowers and trees.
There's also a huge quality of life payoff. Unfortunately, it has gotten off to an ‘uneven’ start, to put it charitably. The Eastside trail is a blueprint the southern and western regions of the project won't necessarily want to follow. Instead, how about keeping the financial benefits while limiting displacement?
Consider this: We've already got an important part of the solution. All you need to do is start. Build the last – and arguably the most important – part of the project: rail. That will ensure higher density, aka more cool stuff close by. And, with the right policies in place, we'll see a lot more affordable workforce housing being built.
I’ve been a residential realtor in metro Atlanta for over two decades. I’m one of the door greeters for your new neighbors who move to Atlanta by the hundreds every day. The most common requests? A short commute. An easy walk to mass transit. A car-free lifestyle. The 3 million more residents projected to move to Atlanta over the next 20 years will not only want the same things. They will NEED the same things.
Light rail on the BeltLine isn't the entire solution -- but it's a really great start. And if you're running for office, your constituents need to hear you say it.
Beth and her husband, Matt, bought their home in Atlanta's East Lake neighborhood 22 years ago. As founding members of BeltLine Rail Now, they are among thousands of volunteers helping to hold our elected officials accountable.