The Atlanta Belt Line
This is old news by now, but I just found out about it: In 1999 a Georgia Tech student (Ryan Gravel) proposed in his graduate thesis “The Belt Line,” an inside-the-perimeter above ground transit line built on existing railroad right of way and simultaneously creating a 22-mile linear park area with walking and bike trails. An organization has been formed to support it (Friends of the Beltline), and MARTA has been conducting a 13 month study on it several others - the finalists seem to be The Belt Line and another plan, the C-Loop (which doesn’t look like much of a loop). The study is winding down, and they’re now holding public hearings discussing the results. (Schedule is at the bottom of the FBL front page)
The proposed line doesn’t come anywhere near me, and to be honest I don’ t think I know where more than a handful of the proposed stops are, but I do think it’s an incredible idea. I used to live in the neighborhood of the Peachtree station, and aside from the pure geeky coolness factor of a streetcar style system (much like Atlanta’s [now gone] trolley system, or San Francisco’s F line), it would have been nice to be able to ride down to Virginia Highlands to contribute to the local economy.