Transit in Atlanta is at a crossroads

[marmar]

Transit in Atlanta is at a crossroads
Critical decisions are looming for transit on the Beltline’s Eastside Trail. City of Atlanta may be willing to revisit its stance.

by Maria Saporta
September 29, 2025 6:46 pm


As Atlanta Beltline Inc. celebrates its 20-year anniversary, it is still up in the air on how the city will move forward to build out the vision for transit.

The most tangible Beltline rail project is putting light rail on the Eastside Trail, extending the downtown streetcar to the Beltline and continuing the rail to the Ponce City Market.

The engineering design plans for that portion are already 30 percent complete, the right-of-way is there, funding from More MARTA has been set aside, and the corridor already has the density of residents and businesses to ensure the project’s success.

....(snip)....

But that project was put on hold in March when Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and his team recommended starting rail on the southside for equity reasons. Jonathan Hunt, MARTA’s interim general manager, reconfirmed that decision at his Sept. 11 press briefing by saying that the project has been put on pause.

But now there could be an opening to change course. ..................(more)

https://saportareport.com/transit-in-atlanta-is-at-a-crossroads/columnists/mariasmetro/maria_saporta/