In Atlanta’s TIGER Bid, Innovative “Beltline” Takes Backseat to Streetcar

For years, the city of Atlanta has been developing ambitious plans to
connect its radial transit lines with a circular "beltline." As
envisioned, the $2.8 billion project would include 22 miles of light
rail and recreational amenities, circling the central city, taking
advantage of existing freight lines. For now, however, those plans are
getting less attention from city leaders than a 2.6-mile streetcar line
that would serve as an east-west connector for downtown.

Image: the Transport Politic

Atlanta submitted its streetcar plans yesterday to the federal TIGER
program, which will be awarding transportation grants to cities around
the country on a competitive basis. In order to improve Atlanta's
chances, a separate application for $13 million to begin trail
development on the Beltline was taken off the table.

Yonah Freemark at Network blog the Transport Politic, wonders whether the city made the right decision:

Elsewhere on the Network, Renew LV discusses Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell's proposal to tax oil companies to support the state's transportation budget; Urban Places and Spaces
questions whether a bicycle-only subdivision planned for an area
outside Columbia, South Carolina is too far away from the central city;
and Commute Orlando
highlights Gallup Poll findings that equate long commutes with a number
of health maladies from back pain to high blood pressure.