Downtown Atlanta has reached a state of gridlock at rush hour where controlled traffic lights can no longer clear the path for streetcars. Lights are green but bumper-to-bumper vehicles can not move through them to allow the streetcar to advance forward.
Simply put, streetcar routes need to be separate from traffic. Here's a proposal that would connect trains quickly from the northeast Beltline to MLK Marta Station.
The city is holding 2 input sessions today, and 1 on Saturday.
Aug 15 - City of Atlanta Transportation Committee Meeting
10:30 AM · Atlanta City Hall
Aug 15 - More MARTA Community Forum
6 PM · Virginia-Highland Church
Aug 18 - Atlanta Planning Advisory Board Meeting
Sat 10 AM · Atlanta City Hall
Atlanta Rides Light Rail Proposal
Car-free Routes with Increased Connections to MARTA Stations
Please increase connections to MARTA rail stations (at MLK, Reynoldstown and Oakland City) while providing separate paths for bikes and pedestrians. Please avoid running rail on Irwin Street, Decatur Street and Edgewood Avenue east of Jackson Street.
Traffic on Irwin Street can be avoided by adding curving ramps at Krog Street Market to connect through StudioPlex. The area under the streetcar turn-around could be a covered walkway from StudioPlex to the Krog Street Market.
Please extend the existing "standard" gauge tracks throughout the system while using 1.5 foot narrower trains on the Beltline, to allow for greater efficiency and walkable/bikeable space.
Goals of our Atlanta Rides Light Rail Proposal
1. Update four existing Siemens S70 streetcars to use CAF GreenTech Freedrive power systems to avoid overhead wires, preserve tree cover and save costs. Freedrive batteries take 20 seconds to recharge every 6 miles.
2. Extend the Auburn Avenue streetcar to the MLK MARTA Station using streets by the MLK Recreation Center. Expose historic bricks on a car-free route through MLK Jr National Historical Park.
3. Use narrower trains on Beltline tramway portions, with same standard gauge as streetcar. 1.5 foot narrower trains allow for reduced weight, less energy use and wider pathways.
4. Send Beltline tramway vehicles directly to MLK Marta for a fast route from east side of Beltline to the Atlanta airport.
5. Build elevated turn-arounds at Krog Street Market for the streetcar, with ramps for Beltline tramway vehicles to access Auburn Avenue through StudipPlex. Avoid using Irwin Street.
6. Provide door-to-door shuttles connecting from Krog Street Market to the south Beltline tramway through Krog Tunnel until a train tunnel connects under Hulsey Yard.
7. Design shorter near-term tunnel as an entrance to a future longer tunnel that connects to the southeast side of Hulsey Yard to completely separate trains from car traffic.
8. Connect a car-free shuttle and bike route to MLK MARTA Station parking. Provide a bridge with retail shops over the freight rail tracks, similar to European stations.
9. Provide path separation for bikes and pedestrians on each side of the Beltline rail, with special focus on the south side of the Beltline where cement has not yet been poured.
10. Connect rail from Oakland City Station to Glenwood Park initially. Expand the I-20 bridge to add a car-free track to Reynoldstown Station and Edgewood Retail to reduce traffic on Moreland Avenue.
View route map at AtlantaRides.org
Please attend an upcoming city meeting to have your input heard.
https://www.facebook.com/BeltLineRailNow/