ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council approved a resolution toward bringing light rail to the Atlanta Beltline during Monday’s meeting, moving the long-discussed idea closer to an implementation plan.
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The vision is to have light rail circle the full 22-mile Beltline, with trains running in both directions and service at platforms about every 10 minutes, from 6 a.m. until 12:30 a.m.
The proposal follows a three-and-a-half-year Beltline transit study that recommends three light rail routes, including northern and southern loops connecting riders to downtown and MARTA.
The rendering of what that system could look like is already catching the attention of residents and tourists.
“It looks very futuristic,” said Zinhle Nxumalo, a tourist from South Africa.
One Atlanta resident said better transit could also make it easier to visit other parts of the Beltline.
“I live in Grant Park, so I usually stay on that side. And what keeps me from coming to this side is traffic and parking. So this may entice me over to the Piedmont side,” the resident said.
But the proposal comes with an estimated $3.5 billion capital cost, leaving funding as one of the biggest questions.
“If the taxes are coming from other places or it’s getting shared, I’d feel great about it. I mean, it’s nice to have a light rail,” said a citizen Warren Beatty.
Councilmember Kelsea Bond, who sponsored the resolution, said the current plan outlined by the Atlanta Beltline is estimated at about $3.5 billion.
“So the current plan that the Beltline Inc. has outlined is about $3.5 billion. Now, voters have been paying into the More MARTA fund for quite a while, and that will make up some of that funding,” Bond said. “There’s a question of whether we could get federal or state funding for this project at some point.”
Bond said the city will need to get creative about how it pays for the project, while arguing that Atlanta’s growth means more transit options are needed.
“It’s time that we be proactive about providing public transit alternatives in the city of Atlanta so that it’s easier and quicker and more affordable for people to get around,” Bond said.
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Not everyone is convinced light rail is the answer.
“There’s little indication that it’s gonna be well utilized. People are going to continue to drive, and it’s not gonna solve our transit problem,” said Jay Miller, a resident who opposes the proposal.
During the meeting, councilmembers also raised questions about how the project would be carried out and funded.
The vote does not put tracks in the ground. Instead, it moves the city toward developing a specific plan for how the project could happen.
Under the action approved by council, the mayor’s office, MARTA and the Atlanta Beltline will be asked to develop an implementation and funding roadmap and report back to the council by Jan. 26.
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