The dual-track Streetcar requires nearly 40 feet of right of way. In some places more.

That will consume almost all greenspace between the pedestrian trail and the edge of the Beltline corridor. Most existing trees and meadows will be removed to make room for the Streetcar.

That’s less room for public art. Less room for hanging out. And a lot less room for nature.

Can the Beltline experience be the same without its tree canopy and greenspace?

The Eastside Trail already is overcrowded with bikes, runners, walkers, scooters, dogs and all manner of mobility devices. It can be dangerous. We need more room for people — perhaps a wider path, or even separate lanes for “heels and wheels.”

But the Streetcar would make that impossible. Fences, retaining walls and two sets of tracks will take up too much space to relieve congestion on the existing trail. And more access restrictions will funnel the growing number of visitors into an even more constrained corridor.

Can we find transit solutions that clear up congestion rather than worsen it?

Better Atlanta Transit backs smart transit. That’s why we question spending the largest portion of Atlanta’s transit investment over the next three decades on a light-rail track that circles destinations rather than takes people to them.

The Beltline already serves thousands of people daily as a last-mile, human-powered corridor. There’s little evidence of demand for long trips via rail along that corridor.

The initial argument for rail on the Beltline was that it would be needed to spur development. That’s turned out not to be the case: The corridor has attracted lots of development — without a streetcar.

So, what problem will actually be solved by extending the Atlanta Streetcar onto the Beltline?

The original argument for rail on the Beltline was that it would spur development. But — without a streetcar — restaurants, shops, offices and other businesses have flourished along the Eastside Trail and beyond. Commerce arrived on foot!

If rail moves forward, it could have the opposite effect. For two to five years, construction will block Beltline businesses from many of their customers. Even after construction, fences and limited crossings will make it more difficult for visitors to get to shops and restaurants.

Are there ways to improve the Beltline without harming the businesses that are already here?

The Streetcar expansion will run through some of the city’s wealthiest and least diverse neighborhoods. In other parts of the city, residents rely heavily on transit as a necessity. They could benefit from better service.

The More MARTA referendum originally included 73 potential projects — many of those in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Due to budget constraints and the high cost of the Streetcar extension, that list is down to nine. MARTA has already downgraded plans for Campbellton Road and the Clifton Corridor. Other worthy projects in all quadrants of the city have been abandoned.

With limited transit resources, will our money be going to our greatest needs?

Rail on the Beltline was first proposed in 1999. That was before the invention of Facebook or the iPhone. It was well before rideshare services, e-bikes, scooter rentals, autonomous vehicles and other innovations disrupted how we get around urban areas.

Then, the pandemic upended ridership patterns — possibly forever. According to the American Public Transit Association, light rail was still carrying 38 percent fewer passengers in December 2022 than in 2019.

Are we missing an opportunity to embrace technologies of the future? Is investing billions of taxpayer dollars on a Streetcar with no proven ridership demand a responsible choice today?

The Atlanta Streetcar East Extension was projected in 2022 to cost up to $275 million. But that’s really just a down payment.

The entire 22-mile loop is expected to be completed around 35 years from now at a cost of $2.5 billion. That’s probably optimistic.

To put $2.5 billion in perspective: MARTA projects that the entire More MARTA sales tax program will raise $2.7 billion over its 40-year life. And More MARTA was designed to provide the lion’s share of local funding for all new transit projects citywide during that period.

Do we really want one project to consume the bulk of Atlanta’s transit investments over the next three decades?