Atlanta City Council takes step toward Beltline light rail, asks for funding roadmap – wsbtv.com

Atlanta City Council takes step toward Beltline light rail, asks for funding roadmap  wsbtv.com

The Atlanta City Council approved a resolution toward bringing light rail to the Atlanta Beltline during Monday’s meeting, moving the long-discussed idea closer to an implementation plan. ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council approved a resolution toward bringing light rail to the Atlanta Beltline during Monday’s meeting, moving the long-discussed idea closer to an implementation plan. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The vision is to have light rail circle the full 22-mile Beltline, with trains running in both directions and service at platforms about every 10 minutes, from 6 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. The proposal follows a three-and-a-half-year Beltline transit study that recommends three light rail routes, including northern and southern loops connecting riders to downtown and MARTA.

The rendering of what that system could look like is already catching the attention of residents and tourists. “It looks very futuristic,” said Zinhle Nxumalo, a tourist from South Africa. One Atlanta resident said better transit could also make it easier to visit other parts of the Beltline. “I live in Grant Park, so I usually stay on that side. And what keeps me from coming to this side is traffic and parking. So this may entice me over to the Piedmont side,” the resident said. But the proposal comes with an estimated $3.5 billion capital cost,