Yes on public transport, no on Atlanta streetcar

I’ll admit to not having pored over the data about the alleged benefits of the Atlanta streetcar. To me, it seems like another bad idea for downtown aimed at our city’s favorite demographic — tourists.

How many Atlantans traverse between the King Center and Centennial Park? About as many who visit such downtown institutions as the Hard Rock Cafe and Hooter’s.

Is there any evidence the streetcar will alleviate traffic? Projections, maybe, but such estimations tend to be wildly optimistic. A claim that a streetcar will create “more than 5,600 jobs over the next 20 years” has already been debunked.

Hopefully I’m wrong, but, considering the recent history of downtown planning, you’d have to be naive not to be skeptical.

 

The Downtown Connector wasn’t always a clusterfudge

This picture of the newly expanded connector, from 1989, warns of “a return to bumper-to-bumper traffic” by ’96. The “before” shot, of a six-lane freeway canopied by trees and a smattering of skyscrapers, is especially fascinating. 

(via Return to Atlanta, a new blog of old Atlanta photos well worth your time).