A plan is unfolding to create a 22-mile loop of green space and transit routes in downtown Atlanta, one of the most car-dependent cities in America. The plan started out as a graduate student's thesis and is now fully adopted by the city.
"The city and a host of nonprofit groups have begun what urban planners say is a singularly ambitious municipal undertaking, transforming the railroad right-of-way into a 22-mile loop for hikers and bikers; a mass transit route; and a green corridor that strings together many of the city’s parks and serves as a framework for new ones."
The City of Atlanta has already started buying up hundreds of acres of land for the $2.8 billion project, dubbed the Beltline. Along with the green space and transit routes, the Beltline project is also proposed to include nearly 28,000 housing units and create more than 30,000 jobs.
"Yet the many feasibility studies that have been done read like a litany of impossibilities. The loop, consisting of four different rail lines, does not link up smoothly. Different sections of the right-of-way are owned by different entities. Federal money for transit projects is scarce. Some parts of the track are still in use; at one point, near the historic Oakland Cemetery, there is a major transfer yard where containers are moved from trains to trucks."
FULL STORY: The Greening of Downtown Atlanta

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie