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Join me on a virtual tour of my attempt to walk out of my neighborhood of @SouthAtlanta this morning.
@AtlantaBeltLine @atlantabike @ATLDOT @PEDSgeorgia @Andre4Atlanta
@AtlantaBeltLine @atlantabike @ATLDOT @PEDSgeorgia @Andre4Atlanta
First some context. This is my neighborhood. We are 3 miles from downtown. We border the @AtlantaBeltLine.
We are a neighborhood steeped in rich history. Both good and bad. We are classic example of a African-American neighborhood being cut-off from the rest of the city.
We are a neighborhood steeped in rich history. Both good and bad. We are classic example of a African-American neighborhood being cut-off from the rest of the city.
We have 5 ways of getting out of our neighborhood to the north:
University —> Pryor
Atlanta Beltline
McDonough—>Hill St
McDonough—>Hank Aaron Dr
Lakewood Ave/Milton Ave —> Hank Aaron Dr.
This is the story of how each of those five ways is impeded at the moment - esp on foot.
University —> Pryor
Atlanta Beltline
McDonough—>Hill St
McDonough—>Hank Aaron Dr
Lakewood Ave/Milton Ave —> Hank Aaron Dr.
This is the story of how each of those five ways is impeded at the moment - esp on foot.
Our closest way out of the neighborhood is at Hank Aaron and McDonough Blvd. The problem is - this is also where the Norfolk South tracks are. Every morning this week - a train has parked at this intersection. As a ped...this means a long walk around.
If I choose to walk University Ave & Pryor to get around - I add at least 1 mile to my walk. I am also greeted with sidewalks like this... – bei Chevron
yes - the “barriers” that @Atlanta_Police put up to prevent cars from getting into Wendy’s are directly on the sidewalk. I can get by - but if I was in a wheelchair - it would be a lot harder.
If I didn’t want to use that route - I could use the @AtlantaBeltLine to get under the tracks. Problem is - they are not maintaining the tunnel under McDonough Blvd. This is its current state... – bei Atlanta Beltline Corridor at Milton
A third option from here is going McDonough Blvd to Hill St. However, @GADeptofTrans has the McDonough bridge closed for the next year. This needed to be done - but when added to all of the other issues going on - just makes everything harder. – bei Notch8 Gallery
Finally - I could go McDonough to Milton Ave to get back to Hank Aaron. But this is the situation on Milton Ave for pedestrians... – bei Atlanta Beltline Corridor at Milton
More from Milton Ave. It is as unfriendly to pedestrians as any street in the city at the moment. Even where there are sidewalks.
As a 20 year resident of the neighborhood - I have always felt our neighborhood has been cut off from the city. However, as someone who recently has decided to walk, bike, and take transit more - I have felt that more than ever the last 1-2 years.
It has become almost dangerous though in the last 2 months in the wake of the Rayshard Brooks murder and subsequent protests. At times - it has felt like we have only one consistent way out of the neighborhood to the north, west, and east - Milton Ave.
I also operate 2 businesses in our community... @CarverCorner and @communityground. I can tell you that we get very few customers from “the other side of the tracks.”
This obviously hurts our business and is one of the major reasons why more businesses don’t locate here.
This obviously hurts our business and is one of the major reasons why more businesses don’t locate here.
The lack of businesses in our neighborhood perpetuates our need to leave the neighborhood. Further exascerbating the challenges associated with trying to get out of our neighborhood.
Also - this area that we are talking about is not very large. It’s perhaps 0.75 mile from east to west and 0.25 mile from North to South. However, in order to get a coordinated effort to address the issues here - we would need to involve the following agencies...
NPU-V
NPU-Y
Peoplestown
South Atlanta
Chosewood Park
District 1 City Council
District 12 City Council
Atlanta Beltline
Georgia Department of Transortation
Atlanta Beltline
MARTA
NPU-Y
Peoplestown
South Atlanta
Chosewood Park
District 1 City Council
District 12 City Council
Atlanta Beltline
Georgia Department of Transortation
Atlanta Beltline
MARTA
For example... here a huge potential issue. When trains park at this intersection in 4 years - they will be blocking our residents from accessing the #itsmarta Summerhill BRT line. That’s a huge justice issue.
Honestly, I don’t know what the solution is for this part of town. I’m tired. I don’t know how to engage with so many entities at one time. But at the same time - I want to see change. We can’t treat our residents, especially those without cars, how we are treating them now.
If anyone has any ideas (and energy)...I am all ears.
