The view of Atlanta from Freedom Parkway: Perhaps the most beautiful vista of the city.

While Atlanta’s population is booming, we Atlantans too are dealing with an issue of a population doughnut in that the center of the city is sparsely populated as compared to the ever-growing and ever-incorporating suburbs. The result has been an ever-expanding metro area that is poorly served by both highways and mass transit. 

The Atlanta Beltline, part of the city’s attempts to rejuvenate the center of the city, covers 22 miles of historic rail segments around the core of Atlanta. Further, it “promotes redevelopment, transportation improvements, green space and public art.” As pleasant as that sounds, I am not sure that it will address the real cause of the city’s hollow core, which is white flight–the same problem in Detroit. 

Since vagrants and the disenfranchised panhandle near Turner Field, the Georgia Dome, and elsewhere, convincing people to move inward becomes even more difficult. The additional issues of poor public schools and limited employment opportunities give people even more reasons to move outside the city limits.

I don’t know what the answer is. The issues are too myriad and systemic to be addressed by any single generation. Attitudes have changed over time, and they will continue to do so, but I don’t think a light rail system will do much to correct the problems we currently have in Atlanta.