Atlanta Beltline

[shivtim]

Thanks for the updates! I'm also so confused about the right angles coming off the Ansley bridge.

[Julien]

Originally Posted by shivtim

Thanks for the updates! I'm also so confused about the right angles coming off the Ansley bridge.

Yeah, it is MORE. More expensive, more concrete, more dangerous, more turns on a bike. etc.

[newuserbuckhead]

I'm a big proponent of Beltline Rail. I am not a proponent of the existing streetcar line downtown. I think the CoA set transit back with that project. Transit without dedicated lanes or ROW is destined to fail.

Trackless trams and busses along the Beltline are not a good solution or alternative to a streetcar along the corridor. Here's a video on the pitfalls of Trackless Trams:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjKG0Lw1uFc

As for the Piedmont Park trail, what's different for the path in the park that just opened vs what was there already? It looks like the simply added a marker down the center of the path that was pre-existing? Or was it widened and/or lighting added? (I can't remember if that was there already)

[newuserbuckhead]

Originally Posted by Julien

Yeah, it is MORE. More expensive, more concrete, more dangerous, more turns on a bike. etc.

I'd be wiling to bet that it's to slow bikes down entering the ROW of the Beltline and future streetcar. If you look at the pedestrian crossing for the EST streetcar, it's all zigzag too.

[smArTaLlone]

The first phase of Northeast Trail Segment 1 through Piedmont Park, is open!!








https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kimbe...member_desktop

[newuserbuckhead]

Originally Posted by smArTaLlone

The first phase of Northeast Trail Segment 1 through Piedmont Park, is open!!



https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kimbe...member_desktop

Had already been open for years, there's nothing new here except the pavement type.

[shivtim]

Originally Posted by newuserbuckhead

Had already been open for years, there's nothing new here except the pavement type.

There are several other new things, such as lights, security cameras, and newly planted trees. Now they'll be adding railings and some stormwater treatments. It's a pretty significant change.

[Julien]

Putting up fencing before opening the bridge.



Trees Atlanta looking good on NE.

[Sojourner_Terminus]

Looks great. This is shaping up to be such a nice section of the Beltline. One day they've got to redevelop Ansley Mall into something really special.

[bigstick]

Originally Posted by Sojourner_Terminus

Looks great. This is shaping up to be such a nice section of the Beltline. One day they've got to redevelop Ansley Mall into something really special.

Agree, Ansley Mall is so tired.

[Atlurbsandspices]

It would be nice if they would finish and open the bridge they set up there months ago

[smArTaLlone]

The full Southside Trail is going to become a reality ahead of schedule! We're excited to share we're accelerating SST construction to ensure all segments are complete and the Eastside and Westside Trails are connected by summer 2026.

[GeorgiaPeanuts]

Botanical Gardens Beltline Expansion presentation:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W3q...LVRmjldpg/view

[megalopolis]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeanuts

Botanical Gardens Beltline Expansion presentation:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W3q...LVRmjldpg/view

This is awesome. Thanks for sharing.

My only concern is that the new service road takes over what is currently a pedestrian only trail and bridge over Clear Creek in order to get to Dutch Valley Place. Will you not be able to make that loop anymore around what the park calls Piedmont Commons, or will a trail still run alongside the service road? I hope the latter.

[Julien]

Originally Posted by megalopolis

This is awesome. Thanks for sharing.

My only concern is that the new service road takes over what is currently a pedestrian only trail and bridge over Clear Creek in order to get to Dutch Valley Place. Will you not be able to make that loop anymore around what the park calls Piedmont Commons, or will a trail still run alongside the service road? I hope the latter.

It will be a gated Service ONLY road and even appears to have a sidewalk on the side. So you will still be able to use it and will be wider plus even in the rare event a truck is using it looks like you can use a sidewalk.

Looks like the corner of Piedmont and Monroe is being push back or at least not covered in plan and will remain a shopping center for now.

Also all buildings on Westminster and Piedmont will be razed.

[Julien]

Looks like the Beltline could get EV autonomous pods kinda like the Hopper at Truist Park instead of Streetcar. I brought this up a few weeks ago and kinda got a little public stoning. As I said I understand the "romanticism" of rail but autonomous is sooooo much cheeper, easer and way more flexible and could be installed all the way around. Plus as tech improves could be used to assess any point on Beltline form any point in the city.

OT: Today I drove Full Self Driving from Ansley Mall parking lot down Monroe to North and across to GA Tech/Techwood, meandered through campus with all the construction, peds and VRUs, came out on Hemphill on 10th to State St and back home in Atlantic Station without a single disengagement. Autonomous driving is getting close.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/alt-m...g-the-beltline

[montydawg]

Originally Posted by Julien

Looks like the Beltline could get EV autonomous pods kinda like the Hopper at Truist Park instead of Streetcar. I brought this up a few weeks ago and kinda got a little public stoning. As I said I understand the "romanticism" of rail but autonomous is sooooo much cheeper, easer and way more flexible and could be installed all the way around. Plus as tech improves could be used to assess any point on Beltline form any point in the city.

OT: Today I drove Full Self Driving from Ansley Mall parking lot down Monroe to North and across to GA Tech/Techwood, meandered through campus with all the construction, peds and VRUs, came out on Hemphill on 10th to State St and back home in Atlantic Station without a single disengagement. Autonomous driving is getting close.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/alt-m...g-the-beltline

It looks like a driverless minivan. These things will not have any meaningful capacity to move a lot of people. Might as well open up the beltline to Uber and Lyft if that is the direction we are going

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by Julien

Looks like the Beltline could get EV autonomous pods kinda like the Hopper at Truist Park instead of Streetcar. I brought this up a few weeks ago and kinda got a little public stoning. As I said I understand the "romanticism" of rail but autonomous is sooooo much cheeper, easer and way more flexible and could be installed all the way around. Plus as tech improves could be used to assess any point on Beltline form any point in the city.

OT: Today I drove Full Self Driving from Ansley Mall parking lot down Monroe to North and across to GA Tech/Techwood, meandered through campus with all the construction, peds and VRUs, came out on Hemphill on 10th to State St and back home in Atlantic Station without a single disengagement. Autonomous driving is getting close.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/alt-m...g-the-beltline

Prepare to get stoned again, friend! It’s terrible transportation infrastructure and not appropriate for one of the fastest growing sub markets in the southeastern United States.

Doing nothing is even more cheap. Both are bad ideas. Suggesting AV’s that are largely backed by venture capital and that we continue see the companies close… well there’s a reason people shouldn’t listen to people who don’t know transportation infrastructure. I mean that as softly and genuinely as possible. Appreciate you, but anyone who knows much about them would consider Atlanta a sucker for spending any money whatsoever on them.

[Julien]

Originally Posted by montydawg

It looks like a driverless minivan. These things will not have any meaningful capacity to move a lot of people. Might as well open up the beltline to Uber and Lyft if that is the direction we are going

The one used in Cumberland ins made by Beeps (you can get others and larger) and seats 10 people plus is ADA compliant.

ZF makes one that seats 15 people and has room for 7 standing for 22.

Here is for ZF site:

ZF’s shuttle will be able to carry 22 passengers, with 15 seated, according to ZF. The vehicle is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and includes an automatic ramp and wheelchair restraints. The shuttle will initially hit a max speed of 25 miles per hour, and in further development will go up to 50 miles per hour, according to ZF.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by Julien

The one used in Cumberland ins made by Beeps (you can get others and larger) and seats 10 people plus is ADA compliant.

ZF makes one that seats 15 people and has room for 7 standing for 22.

Here is for ZF site:

ZF’s shuttle will be able to carry 22 passengers, with 15 seated, according to ZF. The vehicle is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and includes an automatic ramp and wheelchair restraints. The shuttle will initially hit a max speed of 25 miles per hour, and in further development will go up to 50 miles per hour, according to ZF.

“Hyundai Self-Driving Taxi Company Takes Hit as Key Backer Pulls Out” - Feb 2024.

Look up Argo AI.

Many of these companies are just burning money by backers then closing shop.

We don’t even need to get into the capacity item- it’s just a bad investment by the city and makes you a laughing stock as a city to even entertain the idea, especially for what is a high capacity route. Makes zero sense for AV’s.