Hello Buffalo? Atlanta is on its way towards building its own BeltLine. Let’s not be jealous, instead, let’s take a page from their book and get going on our own. Atlanta’s BeltLine encompasses the city, just as Buffalo’s would. There’s will incorporate biking, walking and street cars, similar to what we would like to see in Buffalo. The Atlanta plan takes abandoned rail lines that already designate an appropriate path the follow. We have a set of unused rails that wrap around the city too, connecting key destinations including the Central Terminal!

The only difference is that, in Atlanta, the community is rallying behind The BeltLine, and politicians are clamoring to get onboard with the plan. The politicos even see the project as a way to leverage themselves in an upcoming election. So why is it that it’s almost dead silence here in Buffalo, when we are aware that a project of this magnitude would be such a game changer for the city.

To get a better understanding of Atlanta’s BeltLine, read this NYTimes article.