BeltLine Group, “The Haves” Are Claiming Victory

If the BeltLine Group, “the haves”, that is well-organized wins; that means south and southwest Atlanta loses. That includes transit dependent riders, who do not own or have access to a car, lose.  We are Atlanta!  We are the home of Civil Rights!  How can this be allowed to happen??

Please read the info below and contact MARTA Board members AND all Atlanta City Council members via email, phone, social media AND snail mail. Contact them ASAP, and definitely before September 28 since the MARTA Board is scheduled to vote on October 4.  “The have nots” need a modified plan of the first proposed project list that connects 126 neighborhoods and adds the Fulton Industrial MARTA Station.

Remember:  “It ain’t over until the fat lady sings!!  So we still have time to get what we want, need, and have paid for; yet we still being denied equity…equal distribution of the $2.5 Billion available through the Atlanta half penny sales tax.

 

BeltLine Rail lands front page in the AJC We’re heartened to see that the public’s views are being heard. The AJC articletoday states the More MARTA project list is being revised in talks between Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the MARTA board. Some remaining funding may go to to the BeltLine as a result of these discussions. BeltLine Rail Now! is optimistic about this development. However, it’s not clear how much funding would remain, or how that funding would be applied. We look forward to learning those details. We encourage you to keep making your voices heard! Sign our petition and contact your City Council representatives, Mayor Bottoms’ office and MARTA before the board votes on October 4th. Let them know you want transit that connects all 45 neighborhoods along the BeltLine to jobs, destinations and opportunity.

Celebrate Rosa Parks Birthday During Nat’l Transit Equity Week – Feb. 4-8

Today is Rosa Parks’ birthday.  And, it was 63 years ago that she sat down in the white section of the bus and refused to get up to protest the injustice.

Across the nation there is a National Transit Equity movement that uses Rosa’s story to raise awareness today about inequities.  So, Monday, February 5 is National Transit Equity Day of Action.  Because transit equity is a social, economic, and environmental justice issue, everyone is affected.  As reported by NPR/WABE 91.5fm, ‘In the 50 cities across the country with the worst traffic, it is $600 billion in transit projects.’

What I am reporting is that $600 billion represents a huge number of “living wage jobs”.  It also represents opportunities for us to be at the table as planning is done, and a chance to hold our elected officials accountable as they propose and enact transit legislation.

So, join the National Transit Equity Day of Action Events on Monday, February 5 and the other events for Transit Equity Week in Atlanta.

 

For more information, use the following links:

Click to access 2017-PSE-Opportunity-Deferred4.pdf

https://urbanedge.blogs.rice.edu/2017/02/08/new-study-examines-how-historic-racism-shaped-atlantas-transportation-network/#.WnH0bLynGUk

Click to access PSE_MTO.pdf

With several billion dollars being projected cost of the planned expansion of MARTA heavy rail, light rail, expanded bus service, etc, we need to be at the table during these important planning stages.

For more information about these events and Transit Equity in metro Atlanta and across Georgia, contact Georgia Stand Up at:

http://www.georgiastandup.org

info@georgiastandup.org

(404) 581-0061