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ATLANTA – Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and his staff announced Thursday he no longer supports the first phase of the light rail project along the eastside Beltline. 

“It’s the Beltline, so it is literally everybody’s got an opinion about it,” Mayor Dickens said during a MARTA board meeting. 

The mayor said he didn’t see the immediate need for the project. Instead, he’s intent on expanding Atlanta’s streetcar to reach Murphy’s crossing.

“We are committed to building rail on the Beltline,” said Courtney English, Dickens’ top advisor. “However, not in, the form that has been previously discussed.”

The other side:

Proponents of the Beltline rail project worry that the mayor’s decision could significantly delay or even jeopardize the future of the train service altogether. 

Reid Davis, who uses the Beltline to get around via bike, said the light rail system would add much-needed accessibility. 

“I’m just really disappointed because there are a lot of my neighbors who need what would have been built here,” he said. “It’s been a gentrification corridor. It hasn’t been a transit corridor. It hasn’t connected people to jobs.”

Dickens’ announcement was a surprise to many, but some Beltline rail advocates for the project said it was apparent the mayor’s support for it had waned. 

Davis claimed that Dickens caved to political pressure from businesses opposed to the Beltline. He pointed out that voters already approved funding for the project with a half-penny sales tax in 2016.

What they’re saying:

Nina Carrick was walking on the Beltline on Thursday evening.

She said she understood both sides to the debate, but wasn’t sure if she’d use the rail service.

“I work from home. I don’t know that I would ever need to use it,” Carricl said. “But yes, maybe. I think it’s one of those things that I won’t know until it gets here.” 

What’s next:

The future of the Beltline rail project remains uncertain following the mayor’s unexpected change in stance. It’s also unclear if or when the Murphy’s Crossing project Dickens has advocated for will move forward. 

The City of Atlanta has made several changes to its non-car transport options over the years since launching programs in 2018.

Initially, the city approved use of e-bikes and e-scooters for additional ways to get around Atlanta, but as Channel 2 Action News has reported over the years, the e-bikes and e-scooters haven’t been without issues for residents, prompting regulations by the city council. Rideshare company Uber even got in on it.

On the flip side, the city still encourages the use of e-bikes through multiple, and recent, rebates for purchase.

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Despite the changes to regulations on the micromobility vehicles, newly released data for Atlanta shows ridership is booming.

Atlanta has two official e-bike and e-scooter servicers, Lime and Bird.

TRENDING STORIES:

Data from Lime shows that since 2024, ridership of the green and white scooters and bikes has increased by 62%.

The company said its usership in 2025 is already record-breaking, with more than 200,000 trips taken on their vehicles since the start of the year.

“February ridership in 2025 is 62% higher than in 2024, and an astonishing increase of 200% from 2023,” according to a Lime announcement.

With thousands of riders and more than 100,000 trips in just February, Lime said their use in Atlanta shows the potential for moving away from being car-dependent.

“I am excited to see Lime ridership taking off in Atlanta, because it shows how incredible the potential is for micromobility to succeed even in a city that is historically car-dependent. We are working day in and day out to help connect communities outside of major transportation hubs, offer a reliable and time efficient commuter alternative, and are dedicated to building the future of transportation in Atlanta,” said Carol Antúnez, Senior Manager of Government Relations at Lime.

Channel 2 Action News is working to get similar information on ridership from Bird and the City of Atlanta for a fuller picture of the city’s e-bike and e-scooter situation.

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