beltline steadily progressing... (Atlanta, Reynolds: construction, contractor, closing)

[bryantm3]

for those that haven't kept up with the news, the beltline is progressing gradually along the east side trail (which will go from monroe at piedmont park south all the way to the old fourth ward at irwin street near the krog street tunnel), and is expected to open this summer.

ponce de leon along the beltline is closed from today till tuesday, and then again next weekend from the 30th to the 2nd of april. they're taking the old rail bridge down and refitting it:

Atlanta BeltLine Blog » Atlanta's greatest resurgence yet » Eastside Trail Construction Update: Ponce Closing THIS WEEKEND and Progress in Concrete and Steel!

Atlanta BeltLine Construction Alerts (http://beltline.org/BeltLineBasics/Maps/AtlantaBeltLineEastsideTrail/AtlantaBeltLineConstructionAlerts/tabid/4103/Default.aspx - broken link)

the bridge at ralph mcgill is almost finished, and the concrete trail is being poured...


meanwhile, the deck at ponce city market is half gone, with half to go.

can't wait for this to open!!

[bryantm3]

does anyone know what, if anything, is happening with the remainder of the beltline?

[arjay57]

Who is the contractor actually building this section of the Beltline trail?

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Who is the contractor actually building this section of the Beltline trail?

from the beltline website:
"The PATH Foundation is the construction manager, and the contractor is the Astra Group."

so it looks like they haven't handed it over to any big shot corporate developer, which i guess can be both good and bad.

[StAubin]

I belive Perkins+Will is the overall designer of the project.

[gtcorndog]

When is the project expected to take the leap from a series of nice parks and paths to a transportation solution? Is anything scheduled with that yet?

[JPD]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

does anyone know what, if anything, is happening with the remainder of the beltline?

I don't know about the whole thing, but several portions are grass pathways along railroad tracks. I see people using the portion in Reynoldstown all the time, hiking, playing frisbee, or playing with their dogs.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

When is the project expected to take the leap from a series of nice parks and paths to a transportation solution? Is anything scheduled with that yet?

I'd consider paths a valid transportation solution in some areas. They're obviously not a way to commute from Henry County to the Perimeter or something like that, but within the more compact and densely populated parts of town they'll get people moving on foot and by bike, and they'll make it easier to access MARTA. They also tend to encourage similar development in those areas, so you can build some synergy. The net effect is that you have fewer people relying 100% on cars.

If nothing else, that will make it easier for the many commuters who are simply passing through the city proper.

[K'ledgeBldr]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

When is the project expected to take the leap from a series of nice parks and paths to a transportation solution? Is anything scheduled with that yet?

Originally Posted by arjay57

I'd consider paths a valid transportation solution in some areas. They're obviously not a way to commute from Henry County to the Perimeter or something like that, but within the more compact and densely populated parts of town they'll get people moving on foot and by bike, and they'll make it easier to access MARTA. They also tend to encourage similar development in those areas, so you can build some synergy. The net effect is that you have fewer people relying 100% on cars.

If nothing else, that will make it easier for the many commuters who are simply passing through the city proper.

I believe gtcorndog was referring to the planned/suggested light rail.
*I don't think we'll see light rail in our lifetime.

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

When is the project expected to take the leap from a series of nice parks and paths to a transportation solution? Is anything scheduled with that yet?

When you say "transportation solution", are you asking when the Beltline will make a major impact on traffic? If so, that's never what the Beltline was marketed as. It is marketed to have transit, but that doesn't mean that it is a transportation solution.

Originally Posted by K'ledgeBldr

I don't think we'll see light rail in our lifetime.

I unfortunately think this is true. Pretty much any transit alternative is fought hardcore.