Campaign to derail plans to expand MARTA street car rail line gaining traction
11 Alive, Cody Alcorn
The two mile extension would connect downtown Atlanta to Ponce City Market.
ATLANTA — The proposed Atlanta Streetcar East extension would connect Downtown Atlanta to Ponce City Market, further expanding MARTA's rail line presence throughout the city.
Proposed stops along the route include Edgewood at Boulevard, Auburn at Irwin, Highland at Freeman, Ralph McGill near the Historic Fourth Ward Park and then Ponce De Leon.
However, 11Alive's coverage partner, the Atlanta Business Chronicle, reports some prominent business leaders on the beltline are rejecting the rail extension.
"Business leaders are wary of the potential effects on the Beltline, such as the ability for pedestrians to access properties divided from the multi-use trail by streetcar tracks, speed at which vehicles will travel, loss in retail sales during construction and overall aesthetic value of the design," according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Another concern is MARTA's finances after city council demanded an audit of the More MARTA program. It includes $2.7 billion that's to be raised from a half-penny sales tax increase that Atlanta voters approved in 2016 for system expansions and projects within the city.
Some of those who reject this rail extension question if there's enough money to complete the project as originally sold to the public and even more important -- complete it on time.
11Alive reached out to MARTA to get a statement on concerns and even some opposition to the two-mile extension. MARTA sent the following statement on Wednesday night:
MARTA’s first priority is always safety. The proposed alignment takes into account the established public access areas and provided crossings with safe access in mind. The current design considers a vehicle speed of up to 25 mph as well as line of sight and grade in all aspects of the alignment. We will soon advertise for the procurement of Final Design Consultant Services (with participation from the City of Atlanta) to select the most qualified team to ensure a state-of-the-art design.
Mayor Dickens has said the Streetcar East Extension is a priority, and our planning efforts have included the City of Atlanta, and other stakeholders, including Atlanta Beltline, Inc. and the public. The final design efforts will continue to include public and stakeholder input as we integrate the alignment into the community.
The Atlanta Business Chronicle talked to Mike Greene, who's the vice president of development at Portman Holdings, which is building an office district along the proposed streetcar route.
"I am afraid we will execute something that we regret," he said. "There was a picture in people's minds when we voted on Beltline transit in 2016, and there is the design being shown today. We need to reconcile those two different visions."
MARTA responded to Green's quote, saying, "There was no Streetcar East Extension project design in 2016, it was merely conceptual, so we are unsure how someone would be comparing today’s design renderings with a previous vision. We have just recently reached 30 percent design which establishes the route, the station stops, and other pertinent “bones” of the design for the Streetcar East."
MARTA is planning several upcoming meetings to discuss projects under the More MART expansion project:
April 18 at 6 p.m. | In-Person Update
Register here
Sylvan Middle School, 1461 Sylvan Road SW Atlanta, GA 30310
Served by MARTA Oakland City Station (eastern entrance) and bus routes 79 and 172
April 19 at 6 p.m. | Virtual Update
Register here
Zoom webinar
April 20 at 6 p.m. | In-Person Update
Register here
All Saints Episcopal Church
634 West Peachtree Street NW Atlanta, GA 30308
Accessible via North Avenue MARTA Station and bus routes 2, 50, 51, 102, 899