GDOT, AMTRAK throw wrench in Beltline plans
January 26, 2009 at 8:52 pm by Thomas Wheatley in News
HIT THE BRAKES Beltline faces another obstacle — from GDOT and AMTRAK
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the Beltline, the 22-mile loop of parks, trails and transit proposed to circle Atlanta, it’s that surprises are to be expected. And some interesting developments are afoot with the $2.8-billion project.
If you recall, Atlanta Beltline Inc. — the nonprofit agency in charge of planning and implementing the project — finalized its purchase of a 66-acre piece of property in October owned by Gwinnett County developer Wayne Mason and his son Keith, an Atlanta attorney. The Mason property included land and transit right-of-way. The $66 million purchase riled city watchdogs not only for the ultimate payout to the Masons — more than double what father and son originally paid for the land in 2004 — but also the deal ABI cut with a private partner group it needed to buy out if it wanted to use tax-exempt bonds to finalize the purchase before a Halloween deadline. That’s background, and for all intents and purposes, irrelevant for the moment.
Beltline leaders hoped to complete planning the area, implement transit, and sell off excess land to developers. They would then re-invest the windfall from those sales back into the overall project. But before it could do anything with the property, it first had to abandon the transit right-of-way. That humdrum process is conducted by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board and largely involves just some time for public comment and a shuffling of papers. It was supposed to be a walk in the park.
Looks like that’s not turning out to be the case. An eleventh-hour move by the state Department of Transportation and AMTRAK has potentially thrown a wrench in the Beltline. And why those two odd entities decided to hold hands and insert themselves into the conversation — this late in the party — is making folks scratch their heads.
Late last year, the city asked Norfolk-Southern, the rail and shipping company who had still had control of the rail line, to formally abandon the property. The process was supposed to be complete on Jan. 22. But according to a source with close knowledge of the abandonment process and a helluva letter Mayor Shirley Franklin wrote to U.S. Congressman John Lewis seeking his assistance, GDOT filed an out-of-the-blue motion with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to halt the abandonment process. According to the mayor’s letter, GDOT “enlisted the help of AMTRAK, which on January 21st took the brazen action of using its federal status to initiate condemnation proceedings on the corridor.”
In other words, GDOT and AMTRAK have put the brakes on a vital piece of the Beltline — and for the time being, put the project’s future in limbo.
“I am dismayed and alarmed by these actions, which not only jeopardize BeltLine transit, but also our ability to compete for federal funds,” Franklin wrote.
Some gems from the mayor’s letter to Lewis:
- “For a state agency (GDOT) to now flip-flop and at the last minute attempt to derail a well thought out and partially implemented plan is truly appalling. Sadly, from what I have witnessed over the years, GDOT’s actions are consistent with its past behavior, and it is this behavior that has caused Georgia and Atlanta to lose out on millions in federal funding.” (Yee-owsza!)
- “Simply put, because of GDOT’s boorish behavior and AMTRAK’s willingness to play along, the future of the city of Atlanta is at stake.” (Yoo-aye!)
- “I grew up near the railroads in Philadelphia, and I know the value and important of commuter rail in the life of a city. I am also an advocate of cooperation and collaboration to do what is best for the public. Time and again as the BeltLine has faced judicial, legislative and other challenges, grassroots Atlantans have risen up to ensure that the BeltLine vision moves forward. We have invested far too much in the BeltLine, and have seen too much growth and investment for it to be stymied by the actions of a state agency that does not have a viable plan or funding for commuter rail or the Northeast BeltLine Corridor, let alone funding for projects to which it has already committed.” (Getting Philly! Getting Philly! Knocking GDOT’s broken-ness and lack of viable plans! State agencies — they’re just like us!)
The city, ABI, and the Atlanta Development Authority — ABI’s parent entity — are fighting the motions on several grounds. They say AMTRAK has other options available to it that are more in line with its future plans for intercity transit, that GDOT and AMTRAK lack funding to support their actions, and this move endangers millions of dollars and countless hours already invested in the Beltline. Franklin’s letter is a gem, so I’ve decided to post it here for your reading pleasure. Here’s the Beltline’s legal reply to GDOT’s move. In so many words: Deny GDOT’s motion.
So why is AMTRAK getting involved? According to a filing by the federal transit agency’s lawyers sent to the Surface Transportation Board:
the BeltLine Segment that NS seeks to abandon is a critical link in the rail route that would be used by Amtrak trains (including Amtrak’s New York-Atlanta-New Orleans Crescent) and future high speed rail passenger trains to access the proposed Multimodal Passenger Terminal in Atlanta. There are no viable alternate routes. The August 21 letter from the Atlanta Regional Commission included in the NS Notice (pp. 36-37) correctly states that, if the BeltLine Segment were abandoned, passenger train service into downtown Atlanta would have to operate via an alternate route (the “Trunk Line Route”) over “the combined Norfolk Southern/CSX trunk line on the west side of the city … an active rail corridor that is already heavily utilized by freight traffic.”
…
Ironically, abandonment of the Belt Line Segment would thwart the development of intercity corridor and high speed rail service through Atlanta at the very moment when Congress has decided that expanding such services is a national priority.
Oh yeah, sure, blame Obama! (kidding, AMTRAK!)
Here are some questions: Why would GDOT, which as a member of the Transit Planning Board, signed off on said agency’s regional transportation vision called Concept3, which included the Beltline, only now speak up? UPDATE: I’ve been informed that GDOT did not approve of Concept3. The Concept3 plan, if you recall, included commuter rail, but it was the Atlanta-Griffin line and Brain Train — which don’t run near Piedmont Park, where the Beltline property is located. (Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the commuter rail in the plan originate from the long-in-the-works downtown train terminal proposed for “The Gulch” near Philips Arena?) And why does AMTRAK, which already operates heavy-rail trains that run out of the Brookwood station, have any interest in service on tracks that would pass residential properties and possibly enrage nearby homeowners?
What makes this even more interesting is the fact that GDOT owns a vital piece of Beltline transit right-of-way in the project’s Southwest quadrant. The state agency and the city have reportedly been in talks for two years about a land swap. Is GDOT trying to gain some leverage in a future discussion about the land? Or about another piece of city property?
Some insiders are questioning the dates listed on the legal filings I linked to above. We’ll get into those issues later. I made a call to AMTRAK about their condemnation but was sent to voicemail. The GDOT spokesman more familiar with the abandonment process would be able to comment in the morning.
But as they say, “sunlight is the best disinfectant.” Here are some of the details. Please chime in if you have any thoughts. We’ll report on it more tomorrow.
(Photo by Joeff Davis)
January 26th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
thanks for the update.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:02 am
this is all puzzling
suddenly, the beltline in 25 years* seems optimistic
*thats a long time! think about it–somebody who was born right now would be 25 (25!) by then!!
January 27th, 2009 at 8:59 am
So the state is trying to screw up the transportation plans of the City because they don’t have any? The want the right to develop the old railroad tracks just in case they ever come up with a transportation plan? This is crazy. Chickenhead Perdue has lost his mind!
January 27th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Total, complete, and utter bullshit.
It’s nonsense, it’s stupid, and it couldn’t happen anway. I thought GDOT had turned from vile malignancy towards Atlanta specifically (I mean the City of, not the region), and transit in general, to ambivalence. Guess I was wrong!
But Amtrak? Total nonsense! What could they possibly win from this? I guarantee that this routing will never be used for high-speed trains.
I do feel like, in an ideal world, both trains could share the right-of-way on parallel track. This would never, ever happen around Ansley Park (for instance) in Atlanta, but I guess it could. Were that remotely possible, the issue might be more the City’s unwillingness to give up developable Beltline real estate for a transit use. That would be bad.
But that’s not what’s happening at all. CSX could just as easily give Amtrak an easement to build dedicated track along the “trunk” infrastructure through the center of the city. Amtrak and especially GDOT (which clearly has no stake in SEHSR; Georgia has spent $0 on this while our even neighbor North Carolina has started funding the extension to Charlotte) are just picking on the City instead of freight railroads because it’s smaller, and easier to bully.
Ridiculous!
January 27th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
This is another reminder — maybe the best in years — that despite city government’s flaws, Atlanta’s real handicap is Georgia’s whatever-the-opposite-of-visionary-is leadership. A city can thrive through inefficiency and minor corruption (witness Chicago). But an entity as powerful as state government can throttle a city’s future if it truly doesn’t care about the city’s citizens — and instead finds motivation in petty agendas and cultural envy.
Great scoop, young feller.
January 27th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
“whatever-the-opposite-of-visionary-is”
Regressive?
January 27th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
So let’s see if I got this chronology right. The DOT wanted buy this ROW five years ago, but Mason beat them to it. Then Mason went through a rezoning charade that got everyone hot and bothered. After working over the Midtown Moaners for a couple of years, Mason made a bundle off the ROW by selling it to the city, give or take some lawyer fees and cost of a chain link fence. Now the city has wasted money it doesn’t have on what should have been DOT’s pipedream, the DOT comes back into the picture to tie the helpless damsel at City Hall to the tracks. I bet within a year taxpayers wind up paying Norfolk Southern a billion dollars just to take the choochoo tracks back. And the Belt Line comes full circle. No doubt Mason is a visionary, but it never had anything to do with building anything.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
GADOT knows what a train is????
Tell them trains don’t run opn pavement and they will cease to care.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
There is a real and historic move to get high speed rail up and running in the Southeast by 2015. This is not a joke. And the only route for High Speed Rail in from the Northeast is through the beltline corridor. It is going to be crowded. But rejoice at the prospect of potentially having high speed rail. Ditch any conspiracy theory about GDOT and the Southwest quadrant.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
This is yet another setback for the BeltLine, though hopefully just a passing disappointment. The 11th hour actions of GaDOT and AMTRAK are very strange and unfortunate. Both have long been on notice about the BeltLine plans, yet they chose to sit mute about the RR abandonment issue while allowing significant planning and spending to commence. Both GaDOT and AMTRAK need a good whuppin. But maybe the City also needs to take a turn in the woodshed. The City paid a huge sum to Wayne Mason for the land in the NE quadrant without regard to the fact that the RR abandonment was not a slam-dunk. I support the BeltLine but am fast losing confidence in the people who are running the operation. They constantly act with their heads in the sand (or worse!) and ignore good business practices and common sense. It seems that the BeltLine just keeps getting off track.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
the beltline and high speed rail can coexist.
make it happen – ATL politicians/DOT. that’s why u get paid.
January 27th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
This wouldn’t have happened if I were still alive. I’m not, am I?
January 27th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Here’s a thought, the Belt-Line originally ran Freight and Passenger trains over it. So “heavy-rail” is nothing new to this line. Neighborhoods had it then, so there is nothing wrong with neighborhoods having it again one day. Eliminate grade crossings and “heavy trains” won’t have to sound the horn. Create two parallel lines and sidings for freight activity. Have a dedicated line for lighter rail and a second for “heavy-rail”. If this IS the BEST way for Amtrak to enter the city for this new terminal then this 11th hour stop should be given merit and researched since Amtrak’s trains would be considered “heavy-rail”. As far as the City paying Mason; what a waste of money. The abandonment process should have been started and initiated before any “checks” were cut to the Mason family; what a poor use of tax payer’s money on poor pre-planning. The City wants no “hic-cups” because they would lose monies that they know were spent prematurely.
January 28th, 2009 at 7:40 am
Great idea Chris!! We can use the new hover train technology to eliminate all the grade crossings through town. Like George Jetson always says, “Jane, get me off this crazy thing!”
January 29th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Another thing about this mess. ABI must be open and honest about developments involving the BeltLine. This is a public project and meaningful community involvement is in everyone’s best interests. In this case, for example, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) asked for public comments about the Norfolk Southern abandonment starting December 23, 2008. GaDOT made its outlandish filing on Jan. 2, 2009. The BeltLine people responded to GaDot on January 7, 2009. Amtrak also filed papers to stop the abandonment and condemn the property. The official STB comment period closes unbeknownst to the citizens of Atlanta. Finally, on about Jan. 26, 2009 ABI tells the community about the problem, and expects everyone to run around like chickens with our heads cut off, writing Governor Perdue, our Senators, our Congressmen, demonstrating in the streets, etc. If ABI had let us know about things in a timely manner, maybe some entities could have intervened in the STB proceeding and filed comments? The BeltLine people obviously know it all, have super-human business minds that are well beyond ours, and don’t need or want our help. Or maybe not? Either the BeltLine people involve the public at all steps, or they should stew alone in their own juices.
January 31st, 2009 at 9:58 am
The uproar over running trains along the NS track is because the Beltline is not about transit. The transit bait is to get the hopelessly naive, incl. Sierra Club, on board with a massive developer boondoggle.
(The official panel that looked at transit for the Beltline as much as said it would never be viable. Hardly required a PhD to note that ridership on a circle to and from nowhere without convenient interchanges to MARTA would never justify the expense.)
But even developers know that they can’t sell premium Piedmont Park-side condos with noisy trains running past the windows and blocking the new roads in and out of the Park that will be built to carry the non-transit-friendly condo dwellers.
January 31st, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Geez. There’s room for the Beltline and high-speed rail. Just have the city and ABI reserve space for high-speed rail tracks within the Beltline corridor next to the Beltline tracks. Then grant an easement to Amtrak to guarantee that the space can be used for high-speed rail or Amtrak service any time in the future. That will cause Amtrak to withdraw its complaint and make everyone happy. (Except the neighbors.)
February 1st, 2009 at 9:14 am
People are questioning GDOTs and AMTRAKs motives here, citing the bizarre nature of their last minute fillings. I have not researched this myself, but it seems reasonable that there is some provision within the stimulus bill packages moving through the House and Senate that these agencies find to their liking.
February 1st, 2009 at 4:38 pm
imo, bigger picture, Beltline supporters would get a LOT more community support if they came up with a name that does NOT sound like another highway.
Part of the larger problem is the communication/marketing of the Beltline vision… most of Atlanta has never heard of the Beltline… of those that HAVE heard of it, half think it is more pavement, and the rest are not sure WHAT it is… and human nature is, no one is going to go out of their way to look it up… what’s a Beltline? Y’know?
Better name, better marketing, get the community fired up- more support to get this project MOVING! Tell the public WHY THEY CARE about this project. When the public cares, then the policymakers will care.
great story, thanks for keeping it alive.
February 3rd, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Good story.
I’ve been involved in transportation issues with federal agencies in Atlanta for the last 12 years. I agree that the idea that Georgia DOT will ever get its act together on ANY kind of passenger is delusional. I sat in a meeting at GDOT 10 years ago where they showed us their comprehensive commuter rail map. We thought it would never happen then. We were right. Cool maps though.
There is no way this state will ever provide the matching funds necessary to establish a commuter rail system. High speed, low speed or trolleys. Ain’t gonna happen. Might as well change GDOT’s name back to the “Highway Department” — at least that’s accurate.
On the other hand, the ability of the City of Atlanta to pull off the transit component is pretty remote. The City simply hasn’t got the skills and the will to see it through.
The Beltline will make a lovely bike trail — which is what the residents really want. The developers will sell a dream: “trolleys and urban living” — but all their customers will get is a circular bike path.
Could be a lot worse.
February 15th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
You know, back “in the day”, long-distance trains and trolleys actually shared track.
Amazing, I know.
Given that that’s considered “unsafe” now, there really is no reason not to put parallel Amtrak/HSR and trolley tracks down the Decatur Belt. It may require some complicated earthwork at the south end, but that’s about it.