Atlanta seeking $29.3 million grant to extend streetcar to BeltLine (Decatur: middle-class, neighborhoods)

[bu2]

One thing I agree with, but not for the same reason:
"Bottoms said the streetcar expansion planned as presented isolates many communities around the city."

The use of arterial streets like Memorial, Decatur and North isolates DeKalb County by impeding commuter routes.

And except when on the Beltline, most of the streetcar doesn't provide any better service than buses. The first phase barely provides an advantage over walking. Its an economic development vehicle and the more widespread it is, the less effective it is in concentrating development.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by bu2

One thing I agree with, but not for the same reason:
"Bottoms said the streetcar expansion planned as presented isolates many communities around the city."

The use of arterial streets like Memorial, Decatur and North isolates DeKalb County by impeding commuter routes.

And except when on the Beltline, most of the streetcar doesn't provide any better service than buses. The first phase barely provides an advantage over walking. Its an economic development vehicle and the more widespread it is, the less effective it is in concentrating development.

Why should the CoA care about DeKalb county residents? They should always put their residents first. Also, eastern suburb commuters still have I-20 and Ponce De Leon. North Ave, as an arterial, ends at DeKalb county line. DeKalb Ave/Decatur St is not a state highway and should operate more like a local collector, with slower speeds. There are other options, it's not like CoA is closing the road to commuters or not giving them other options. It is time CoA plans for and improves it's residents QOL.

[jero23]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Streetcar expansion ruffles city development committee - Atlanta INtown Paper
Councilperson Keisha Bottoms is an idiot. Campbellton Rd does not have the density to support a streetcar. A better transit option is BRT, in bus only lanes.

Campbellton Road has always been a historically a major commercial corridor for Southwest Atlanta and directly connects to the Oakland City MARTA station, and in recent years it has been abandoned and neglected. It has the room and right-of-way to place one. That is why she is stressing the reasons of using the proposed streetcar extension along the corridor.

[jero23]

Originally Posted by bu2

One thing I agree with, but not for the same reason:
"Bottoms said the streetcar expansion planned as presented isolates many communities around the city."

The use of arterial streets like Memorial, Decatur and North isolates DeKalb County by impeding commuter routes.

And except when on the Beltline, most of the streetcar doesn't provide any better service than buses. The first phase barely provides an advantage over walking. Its an economic development vehicle and the more widespread it is, the less effective it is in concentrating development.

You might as well let that ship sail. All of those will be placed on a road diet and have traffic calming measures implemented to slow down traffic speeds. Even GDOT has stressed pass through traffic needs to use I-20 over Memorial Drive for east-west long-distance commutes.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by jero23

Campbellton Road has always been a historically a major commercial corridor for Southwest Atlanta and directly connects to the Oakland City MARTA station, and in recent years it has been abandoned and neglected. It has the room and right-of-way to place one. That is why she is stressing the reasons of using the proposed streetcar extension along the corridor.

BRT could accomplish the goal for far cheaper. I am a rail cheerleader, but this corridor is better suited for BRT.

[jero23]

Originally Posted by cqholt

BRT could accomplish the goal for far cheaper. I am a rail cheerleader, but this corridor is better suited for BRT.

Maybe so, but the City of Atlanta cannot engage in implementation of BRT as those privileges lie exclusively with MARTA. Councilmember Lance-Bottoms is just trying to get something off the ground to encourage more connectivity between SWATS and Downtown that is within the control of the city hence why the streetcar extension.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Why should the CoA care about DeKalb county residents? They should always put their residents first. Also, eastern suburb commuters still have I-20 and Ponce De Leon. North Ave, as an arterial, ends at DeKalb county line. DeKalb Ave/Decatur St is not a state highway and should operate more like a local collector, with slower speeds. There are other options, it's not like CoA is closing the road to commuters or not giving them other options. It is time CoA plans for and improves it's residents QOL.

Aren't you one of those asking for more regional cooperation?

And a good number of Atlanta residents live in DeKalb County. Cutting the options when there are limited options already can make things a lot worse.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by bu2

Aren't you one of those asking for more regional cooperation?

And a good number of Atlanta residents live in DeKalb County. Cutting the options when there are limited options already can make things a lot worse.

Well, if free-flowing connectivity to DeKalb is so important, we could always resurrect the Stone Mountain Tollway.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by bu2

Aren't you one of those asking for more regional cooperation?

And a good number of Atlanta residents live in DeKalb County. Cutting the options when there are limited options already can make things a lot worse.

Yes, I am one of them, but I refuse to think we should put commuters above residents. Commuters just pass thru as fast as possible and have investment in the area.
As I stated there are other options for eastern suburban commuters to use and stop cutting thru neighborhoods.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by jero23

Maybe so, but the City of Atlanta cannot engage in implementation of BRT as those privileges lie exclusively with MARTA. Councilmember Lance-Bottoms is just trying to get something off the ground to encourage more connectivity between SWATS and Downtown that is within the control of the city hence why the streetcar extension.

BRT is a MARTA matter and you are correct in she is trying to get something out of this for her area, but my neighborhood won't see any BeltLine action either, but I am smart enough to know that it is good for the community as a whole. It will open up employment opportunities for her residents where they will not have to transfer from a train to multiple buses to reach a job.