LISTEN: The transit study places 22-miles of light rail along the Beltline and engineers are looking for public feedback on potential routes. GPB's Amanda Andrews has more.

A map showing three possible train routes in Northwest Atlanta.

Atlanta Beltline engineers have narrowed down three possible routes for the northwest portion of the project's light rail to travel. They're looking for public feedback to make a choice.

Credit: Atlanta Beltline

Leaders with the Atlanta Beltline shared a plan to add light rail to the 22-mile trail around the city during a public meeting on Tuesday.

Hundreds of people attended the virtual meeting to hear the results of a two-year transit study. Study presentation included three options for light rail through Northwest Atlanta and details about how Southside rail would connect to MARTA transit.

Beltline Senior Engineer Shaun Green explained this northwest segment is different than the rest of the city.

“There is no abandoned railroad corridor like there is in the other three quadrants of the beltline,” he said. “And so we needed to figure out a way to get, generally speaking, between Bankhead and Lindbergh.”

Overall, the plan includes three train loops: one around the city, one around North Atlanta, and one around South Atlanta. Green explained they created a bidirectional design to minimize wait times.

“So a train comes every 20 minutes in one direction,” he said. “Then, what you end up with because of the overlapping loops and the interlining of that service plan, you end up with an effective 10-minute headway at each station location.”

A map shows three main loops around Atlanta, around North Atlanta, and around South Atlanta as the possible light rail paths.

The project would cost an estimated $3.5 billion. Leaders with Atlanta Beltline say they'll share funding plans before the end of 2025.

Credit: Atlanta Beltline

The Southside light rail development plan would have a total of 13 stops, with plans to connect to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ proposed MARTA infill stations.

In March, Atlanta Chief Policy Advisory Courtney English announced changes to the city’s Beltline rail development on behalf of the mayor.

“We are committed to building rail on the Beltline; however, not in the form that has been previously discussed,” English said. 

The existing plan would have placed light rail on the Eastside Beltline. Instead, the city shifted its priority to the south side. Some residents saw the change in plans as the city breaking its promise to connect the city.

The light rail proposal has reinvigorated transit advocates with the organization Beltline Rail Now. In a statement, the group called on the city to start building.

“We’re calling on Mayor Dickens and his administration to step back up," the group said. "Recommit to building the part of this system we can build now. Use the Beltline TAD and every available resource to fund the full design and engineering of this plan. Let’s stop pretending we need another study. We need steel in the ground. We need tracks. We want to ride.”

The light rail system would cost an estimated $3.5 billion to complete. That number includes funding for Atlanta to acquire 42 vehicles and develop support facilities for the rail lines.

Details about financing and implementation are expected by the end of the year when the transit plan is finalized.

Tags: transit  beltline  atlanta beltline  Atlanta  Georgia