﻿Atlanta, or as the locals say hotlanta,
is home to what I think is one of the most successful rail trails out there.
Named the beltline it will, when fully completed, fully encircle the historic core of Atlanta.
As the name states the rail trail was formerly a rail line
which moved freight around Atlanta rather than through it.
When finished by the Atlanta Belt Railway Company in 1902, it fully encircled the city.
Fast forward to modern history and after an upwell of support to turn the freight
rail right of way into a park, the city started buying up land from the railroads.
Which brings us to where we are today, about 1/4th of the project is in a paved and complete state,
and the rest is dirt and gravel or the exact route in limbo.
Let's talk about what is done now as I think it
can serve as a model for the rest of the city moving forward.
Lets first just take a moment to admire the adaptive reuse of old factories to have a
unique set of businesses facing the trail. The biggest of those businesses are outdoor eateries.
This is a big point for me, as given the choice between eating outside on a loud street with cars
or a quiet street with people walking and biking, we will always choose the quiet street. The idea
that a business with relatively limited access to roads, cannot survive just doesn’t ring true.
This brewery would most likely not exist if it weren’t for the foot traffic provided
by the beltline. Behind it is a relatively small parking lot and every patron would
be limited in how many drinks they can purchase by the very fact they drove in.
Being on a walkable path is a great boon to places that sell beers and cocktails.
I believe that the belt line is strongly coupled with the conversion of two large factories
into hip markets. Krog market and Ponce market provide space for dozens of shops and restaurants
which anyone who lives on the beltline can hop on a bike and ride right up to them.
There are even places that have bike valet which was the first time I’ve seen that in the US.
Now the beltline also connects to Atlanta’s metro in a few places,
even though it wasn’t planned in the first place, giving access to the path via transit..
You do see a good number of people using it as an extension of transit itself,
hopping onto a bike or scooter on their way to work or school.
On the topic of wheels, you can see dozens of businesses around mobility
both large and small sprang up around the path.
Like the Atlanta Bike Barn where I rented the bike I’m riding in the video.
What we can learn here from Atlanta is that basing
housing and businesses around a pedestrian and cyclist only path
can be totally viable. Some of the best ways to experience a city are on foot with no cars around.
These pedestrian spaces also serve as a place to hang out with friends and neighbors.
Car free infrastructure can also be an opportunity
for denser housing with car light or car free living.
I’d like to thank those who have supported me on ko-fi, and subscribed.
The support really means a lot to me. And with that Goodby for now.