Atlanta: abandoned railroad tracks to be 22-mile necklace of parks and paths

Picayne Item ^ | December 3, 2005

[Don W]

This is what could happen there, BUT the example I give is only LEASED from the railroad, and could be put back to productive use if enough people realize what a great legacy is rotting away at the behest of the enviro-nuts.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

They've done a lot of this in the western suburbs of Chicago. What they really needed to do with this railroad stuff is build a better commuter system around here.

[RGSpincich]

To raise most of the $2.1 billion needed to pay for the project, the City Council this month approved a special tax district this month that could raise $1.7 billion to fund the project's infrastructure.

22 miles of additional parks is a maintenance nightmare. The above assessment district will have to address that in addition to the construction funds needed. The assessment district will not dissolve after the construction bonds are paid off, maintenance is forever.

[hedgetrimmer]

Necklace or hangman's noose? Smart growth requires hard edges to cities and neighborhoods, and putting a noose around the city will accomplish that. Most smart growthers go for the European look, where cities and towns are built in tightly controlled spaces, surround by fields and open space in the manner of a medival village.

[Turbopilot]

I've finally reached the conclusion that Chicago is evil, and its only hope, far-fetched though it may be, would be a popular uprising that kicked Daley and his minions out forever and instituted a free and democratic government. Unfortunately, the serfs (no one who lives in Cook County is a "citizen" in any meaningful sense of the word) seem to be happy to trade less graffiti and lotsa parks for freedom and economic development.

[Turbopilot]

I believe it was actually a black comedian who commented on the fact that one can identify the worst area in any large city by the fact that MLK Jr. Blvd. will be in the center of it. Chris Rock, maybe?

[fallujah-nuker]

“Atlanta, which was for many years known as the poster-child for sprawl, is becoming a national leader in demonstrating there are cost-effective, profitable alternatives,” said Ed McMahon, a senior resident fellow of the Urban Land Institute.

[Malesherbes]

"One of the only opportunities..." I suppose they mean "one of the few opportunities." An only opportunity suggests that there is just one.

[joesnuffy]

My exact thoughts also

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

If I remember correctly, such railroad lands are not owned by the railroad, but are owned by the ajacent land owners who sole an easement to the railroad.

When the Railroad gives up the lease it is supposed to revert to the landowners who may have other uses for it than a walkway.

[mhking]

This article is not clear on the development plan on the Beltline - it's less a series of trails (though that element will exist), but more importantly a light-rail, in-town transit system that will link up with MARTA.

With in-town transportation (not to mention suburban transportation) being nightmarish at best, any solid proposal -- including the Beltline -- are ones that deserve looking at.

Everything I've seen on the Beltline so far, is on the up and up.

Now, as long as the Atlanta City Council can keep their grubby little paws out of the coffers (yeah, right!) then this will probably roll on the way it ought to.

[CDHart]

Here in Missouri, the right-of-way of the railroads was to revert to the property owners when the railroad no longer needed it. However, the libs and greenie types got together and created the Katy Trail, which is a walk/bike trail on the railroad right-of-way. Now the property owners have to pick up the trash and debris left by the walkers/bikers and also have many more trespassers. Just one big rip-off scheme supported by eminent domain and our Supreme Court.

Carolyn

[CDHart]

"When the Railroad gives up the lease it is supposed to revert to the landowners who may have other uses for it than a walkway."

Absolutely correct. Read my post #32 to see what happened here in Missouri.

Carolyn

[FreedomPoster]

You must be forgetting your Texas roots, living in Japan.

We have concealed carry in GA. Had it long before TX, actually. And while I'm sure there will be muggers, I'm also sure they'll be at mortal risk.

[RoadTest]

Rails to Trails is a wonderful idea and active organisation. It promotes the banking of the nation's RR rights-of-way in case of any unforeseen future need for rights-of-way, and helps convert them to outdoor activity trails.

I encountered these back in my younger days when i was Mountain Biking.
We have several here in SE Michigan and they are in use all over the United States.

One is even being developed by architects on an unused New York City elevated railway. It's on the West Side and it's called "The High Line".

[Toskrin]

This article is not clear on the development plan on the Beltline - it's less a series of trails (though that element will exist), but more importantly a light-rail, in-town transit system that will link up with MARTA.

This AP article sets forth its own agenda, making this erroneously sound like some greenspace project. It's mainly a light rail, and is near downtown, not through the suburbs like the article implies.

I agree that this is worth looking at. My main conern is that it serves areas that are already not that far away from existing MARTA stations and bus lines.

BTW, I like Atlanta's sprawl. Sprawl is just a way of saying that citizens have another option for their living and working environment. Planners (and AP reporters) who want to eliminate sprawl are no friends of freedom.

[sergeantdave]

Whether these railways revert back to the original owner depends upon whether the railroads were granted a simple easement or acquired a simple fee title. If the latter, the property owner is probably out of luck.

For those property owners that granted only easement, several years ago the federal court of claims ruled that original owners of railway beds are entitled to compensation plus interest for property taken under rails to trails or similar schemes.

The eco-fascists are trying to snowball people into believing that the local government owns these lands. Several property owners in my area have discovered that they own the property on these rails to trails schemes and have erected fences, keeping the public out until they're paid.

The best thing to do is to hire a good property rights attorney and sue, sue, sue.

[dsc]

"You must be forgetting your Texas roots, living in Japan."

Tryin' hard not to.

"We have concealed carry in GA. Had it long before TX, actually."

I did not know that. Glad to hear it.

"And while I'm sure there will be muggers, I'm also sure they'll be at mortal risk."

I kind of had a vision of the cast of "Friends" wandering in there for a nature walk.

[lawgirl]

I was just going to post about what we have here in milwaukee that is the same- we have a beautiful trail just a couple blocks from where I live that is an old railroad track that is nicely paved. I spent a big chunk of my weekends on it this summer and it's great- and it's very populated and has a heavy police presence so it's very safe. I think this is a great idea.

[Mogger]

Here's another use for old railroad tracks: