There’s a major flaw in Dickens’ reasoning for shifting Beltline Rail
I went to Ladybird for the first time tonight and I was extremely underwhelmed. The crowd there was one of the worst crowds of people I’ve ever encountered in Atlanta. And that’s saying a lot. I did not grow up in the nice areas. I grew up south of I-20. I’ve seen a lot of belligerence.
Moving on, I got to thinking about Beltline Rail because there’s obviously a huge tract of empty land next to it for rail ROW and the owner actively lobbies against Beltline Rail expansion. The reasons the business owners cite is *“disruption to businesses and reduced income.”* Dickens has decided to shift his sights to the Southside and capitulate to the business owners.
But there’s a major flaw in their reasoning which proves that they’re all lying:
Even if rail is built on the Southside first, it would need to be extended eventually up the Eastside trail which means that construction disruption is inevitable and always was inevitable no matter what. This excuse is simply a red herring for the true goal which is getting the project cancelled in totality.
The valid solution…. The obvious solution… would be to roll in a business-support program during construction so that employees and their rich business owners can manage to survive during the 6 to 9 months of construction. Keep in mind that almost every building on the Beltline has a dual front that also faces local streets.
What are your thoughts?