Dickens clarifies Beltline rail stand
Mayor Andre Dickens insisted last week that he’d like to see the Beltline streetcar built.
But, in an interview with WABE’s Rose Scott, he also warned that the 22-mile rail loop may not be affordable. And he urged Atlantans to be open to fresh ideas and new technology.
“Am I in favor? Yes,” he told Scott, “Am I committed to pushing it? Yes. But am I sober and fiscally responsible, as somebody who takes every job, every decision, I make very seriously?”
Among the mayor’s concerns:
Is there funding for the entire streetcar loop?
Will it saddle MARTA with stratospheric operating costs?
And what about small businesses likely to be crippled by streetcar construction?
The 12-minute segment about Beltline transit on WABE’s Closer Look appears to be Dickens’ most extensive public discussion yet on the topic. Scott does a great job teasing out his thinking. Listen here (starting at the 33:55 mark) or read the takeaways below.
More takeaways
Dickens says the city has tasked a consultant to analyze the cost and feasibility of construction of “a 22-mile-loop or some version of it” as light rail, bus rapid transit, autonomous pods or “any other form of mobility.”
The mayor noted that “what we have right now with the Beltline” is “phenomenal.” He namechecked US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg among the federal officials to declare themselves “amazed” at the existing greenway and development.
Dickens raved about prospects for his proposed Murphy Crossing MARTA infill station. “So you basically ride MARTA from the world’s busiest airport, and the first stop when you get to the Beltline will be Murphy’s Crossing Station, which is going to be a transit-oriented development.”
He urged MARTA to think about the long term and lean into innovation. Technology settled upon nearly two decades ago might not make sense today for a project that might not be completed until 2050.
He praised Atlanta Beltline Inc. CEO Clyde Higgs, and his own administration, for progress on both the Beltline multipurpose path and Beltline affordable housing. Nearly 10,000 affordable housing units have been added to the Beltline corridor during Dickens’ time in office or are under construction. And the path is now projected for completion by 2030.
He noted that the state of Georgia’s failure to back transit makes it challenging to address transit needs. All the more reason to spend transit dollars wisely: “We have New York hopes of transit, but New York state supports the New York transit system. Illinois supports the Chicago transit system. … We do not have [state] support for MARTA nor do we have [state] support for the Beltline as it currently stands. So it’s all in the fare box. … Everything that you pay will operate that service.”
He stressed that demanding the streetcar on social media is a lot easier than making it happen in the real world. “I don’t just [get to do] what everybody else is doing on the Internet and say, ‘Get the Beltline rail, now!’ Because I’ve got to live with the situation.”
Asked if Dickens was willing to “take the heat” if the streetcar proves unfeasible, Dickens said: “Part of the job is sharing in the good news and sharing in the not-so-good news. Before I do that, I will be consulting with every single person that we can, from those that helped to create the Beltline to those that are right now in current leadership and everybody in the community. Y’know, we’re at a time where some folks are saying ‘no’ to rail. Some folks are saying ‘yes’ to rail. Some folks are saying, ‘Keep it just as it is.’ And some are saying, ‘Let’s go further into our transit bag and find something else.’ I’m here saying, I want transit, and I’m going to try to find a way to get that done.”
— Ken Edelstein
