I sincerely hope this happens for those of you in the ATL. And I hope that light rail beltline in the planning works really happens too. I can't believe Atlanta is finally getting serious about public transport, just in time for my departure! I do, however, have to point out that Atlanta HAD a fine streetcar system that was incredibly more complex than just a line running up Peachtree, a mere 60 years ago. But big oil, big automakers, and big tire makers systematically bought and scraped that system in Atlanta, and dozens of American cities. The beauty of "privatization." If Atlanta still had its old trolley system, what a better place the city would be in now. There are so many places where the tracks are even still visible, in the middle of roads. Along McClendon in Candler Park, the Olmstead Parks along Ponce de Leon, even in many downtown locations (amazing that 60 years of asphalt have not covered these over).I'm dying to know what the redo of the Decatur Square Marta Station is looking like. Has anyone seen it? Do any of you have pictures?
3 comments:
The missus says that station was re-done not too long ago and, "it's MARTA; of course it's going to look like shit."
One thing that could benefit our little segment of town is the extension of the name "Peachtree" all the way down Whitehall and Lee Streets. Just proximity to that name seems to help.
The beltline appears to be gasping for air. I'd love to see it happen, but I'm pessimistic about the outlook. That and the rehab/refurb of Ft. McPherson into something other than a government entity.
Now wait a minute, the Decatur station was ALREADY ugly, in a That 70s Show kind of way. How could they redo it and still make it ugly?? I'm sure it has "classic" crap going on and pseudo-historical bricolage bric a brac plastered about.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the beltline. It is really suspect how first the Beltline, and now this Peachtree Trolley thing, neither are associated with MARTA. Could you imagine a new line or light rail in New York or London NOT part of the Subway or Underground, respectively? What is it with Atlanta that just can't keep people together?
The thing that bugs me the most are the people in the areas that stand to most benefit saying they're against the idea because it will raise their property values and they won't be able to afford homes there any longer.
You can prosper and have your neighborhood come up be genuinely nice (possibly even selling your home for a profit one day), or live in squalor, filth and crime with the warm tingly feeling that at least your kid can buy the house down the street from you.
Some people you just can't reach.
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