Transit innovation … or the end of light rail??

Atlanta Beltline Inc. has hired a new Vice President of Transit Innovation, who hails from a background in paved mobility. The City of Atlanta has signaled what's in store for the Beltline: autonomous “pods.”

ABI has been referring to Beltline transit as light rail. But recently it dropped those references from its website and replaced “light rail" with “transit.”

The future of Beltline transit, as Mayor Dickens sees it, is autonomous vehicles. We know this: the new VP of Transit Innovation, Joe Iacobucci, was hired last fall from TYLin International. TYLIN is a global engineering and consulting firm regarded as a go-to for paved-mobility solutions, including autonomous shuttles. See the link in our profile for the Saporta Report story and more details.

While at TYLin, Iacobucci worked on a series of road-based projects, including the report ABI solicited from TYLin about transit, recommending autonomous shuttles as the preferred mode of transit for the Beltline.

Iacobucci’s hiring coincides with the ABI and the city’s rolling out of a pilot, on-demand mini-bus shuttle system designed to connect Atlanta University Center, the West End MARTA station, and the Lee & White complex at the Beltline. This mini-bus rollout, designed to be up and running for the World Cup in June, means one thing: Mayor Dickens, with ABI playing front man, is all in on paved mobility as Beltline transit.

Yep, the Mayor of Atlanta thinks it’s a good idea to abandon light rail in the core of the city, throw away 22 miles of dedicated right-of-way greenway, years of planning, and more than $10 million, for what transit experts refer to as a gadgetbahn. Translation: a low-capacity, pavement-based gimmick that’s the opposite of what the Beltline needs – a mass transit solution.

Meanwhile, there's no progress on Southside Beltline rail, putting the start point of the entire project in jeopardy. 🚊🚊🚊🚊

Read more by Delaney Tarr on the Saporta Report

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