A proposed expansion of Atlanta's beleaguered downtown streetcar could turn the 'novelty' line into a truly useful transportation option in the car-centric city.
Josh Green reports on expansion plans for Atlanta's downtown streetcar, which, in its current 2.7-mile incarnation, only receives around 4,000 weekly rides and primarily serves tourists and the occasional sports fans. To put that number in perspective, writes Green, MARTA's heavy rail system saw close to 300,000 weekly rides in 2021, a number dramatically reduced from prior years by the pandemic.
While some see the streetcar, which opened in 2015, as a waste of taxpayer money, others want to see it expanded and connected to more areas. That's the plan for MARTA, which plans to expand the streetcar loop to the city's east side and "finally transform it from a tourist-supported novelty to a useful, local transportation option." The $225-million expansion will be funded by the More MARTA sales tax and connect the current line to the BeltLine and the Old Fourth Ward retail hub.
Earlier this year, MARTA's board authorized a feasibility study to assess the potential for extending the streetcar into the BeltLine corridor in preparation for requesting federal funding for the project.
FULL STORY: Seven years later, Atlanta Streetcar due for boost, MARTA says
Atlanta One Step Closer to Bus Rapid Transit
The city’s transit agency says bus rapid transit will be cheaper and faster to build than light rail.
Atlanta Changes Beltline Rail Plan
City officials say they are committed to building rail connections, but are nixing a prior plan to extend the streetcar network.
New Study Commissioned for Atlanta BeltLine Transit
The study will assess alignment options for a 13-mile segment of the greenway.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.
Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?
TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.
Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events
Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”
Berlin to Consider Car-Free Zone Larger Than Manhattan
The area bound by the 22-mile Ringbahn would still allow 12 uses of a private automobile per year per person, and several other exemptions.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)