Longterm benefits of Beltline rail worth temporary disruptions
I am a resident of Inman Park and a supporter of the Atlanta Streetcar to Eastside Beltline rail project. The long-term benefits justify the investment and efforts made over the past decade.
Acquiring land, moving utilities and engineering the trail for this project has been a significant undertaking and I believe it has been a worthwhile endeavor. It represents a forward-thinking approach to urban development, addressing future transportation needs and setting a foundation for sustainable growth.
While there are concerns about the disruptions caused by the construction or the impact on residents along the route to the Beltline, opposing the project at this stage, on a small portion of the Beltline, after years of meticulous planning and investment, is akin to throwing out the baby with the bathwater. We must not lose sight of the long-term vision for our city that this project embodies.
Completing the streetcar to the Beltline will bring numerous benefits, including better connectivity, reduced traffic congestion and a boost to the local economy.
STEFAN KALLWEIT, ATLANTA
Raise climate awareness, put price on carbon
As the COP28 climate change conference approaches, the world, economies and its populations face life-defining choices.
The AJC has reported that the last 12 months were the hottest ever recorded. While an AJC poll of Georgians found that 64% considered climate change “very important” or “somewhat important,” the finding trailed almost every other consideration in the poll. The AJC reports on the suffering from heat waves, floods, wildfires, drought, etc., by outdoor workers, wildfire victims, smog victims from wildfires, farmers, etc., but it hasn’t touched you -- yet.
Can science, political will and public awareness somehow overcome the momentum and misinformation of the fossil fuel companies? Of course, we are nowhere close to weaning ourselves from planet-killing emissions (if halted today, they would continue to warm the planet).
Awareness needs to be raised; misinformation stopped. We need to put a price on carbon in the U.S. as other countries are doing. Support political candidates who support climate action! Pay the earth forward for the benefits it has given you.
JOHN W. SHACKLETON JR., ATLANTA
