On the evening of Sept. 17, students gathered in the Kendeda Building to hear from speakers focused on advocating for better public transportation in the Atlanta metro area. Jennifer Samuel, fourth-year ENVS and Annika Trout, second-year ENVS, from GT Students Organizing for Sustainability (SOS), coordinated the event alongside Justin Bowen, third-year PSYCH, from GT Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA).
SOS works to connect students to information about candidates and policies, working to address the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015.
“I really love public transport because it has everything aligned with reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving quality of life and multiple SDG” Samuel said. “That’s why I think SOS connects with public transport.”
Bowen shared his desire for alternatives to driving. He added that reliance on driving encourages sprawl, which makes it take longer to access certain amenities, such as dental care and groceries.
“It’s good that we have our system at Tech to get from one side of campus to the other pretty easily, but we are isolated right now,” Bowen said. “I want students to be able to get involved with the rest of Atlanta, like participating in politics and becoming involved in advocacy in the rest of Atlanta.”
The first panelist to present was Ellen Dunham-Jones, director of Tech’s Urban Design master’s program and co-author of the “Retrofitting Suburbia” series. She said that the quality of the city around it defines great public transit. She stated that successful transit should be safe and convenient to use, but also pleasant, using a musical swing art installation from Montreal as an example.
Next, Brian Gist, Senior Attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, described the history and politics of public transit funding in Atlanta. He explained that Cobb County and Gwinnett County are trying to pass referendums this November to create a 0.5% sales tax dedicated to improving public transit. Gist emphasized the importance of voting.
“I think particularly at a place like Tech, people appreciate the importance of the transportation that we build and what it means for people’s lives,” Gist said. “There’s an opportunity with these referendums for people either voting or participating in the political process to take ownership of what kind of transportation we are building and what our community will look like.”
Tech alumnus Michael Fleming spoke last, recounting how his interest in transit advocacy originated from his time studying abroad in Belgium and living in Japan. He explained how BeltLine Rail Now! is advocating the acceleration of the construction of light rail along the Atlanta BeltLine., a 22-mile-long trail and transit corridor that encircles central Atlanta, using old railroad alignments.
“We hope that some people will engage in our organization in an ongoing sort of way,” Flemming said. “We don’t have a single referendum that’s coming up, but we do want to help dispel some misinformation that groups opposed to rail on the BeltLine are spreading. People joining up and getting on a committee is the best way to do that and also attending public meetings like city council and MARTA [and] making public comments.”
The panelists then answered questions from the crowd. Students asked about more ways to advocate for transit. Gist reasserted the importance of voting this November and educating people about the referendum. Fleming explained that while it may seem boring and time-consuming, attending public meetings and commenting is the best way to make your opinions heard.
Dunham-Jones added that students have a “superpower” of being able to ask naive questions and defuse tension at public meetings. She also pointed out that state and local representatives are more likely to respond to students’ concerns because economic growth is based on attracting young adults to live, work, and spend money in their community.
Another student asked how Fulton County residents could support transit. Gist responded that there are no relevant referendums coming up, but voters can research their city council and state general assembly candidates and pick the ones that support transit.
Two students also questioned how active transportation (e.g. walking, cycling) could fit into transit expansion. Dunham-Jones pointed out that most transit users utilize active transportation to get to their final destination, but most trips are short enough that transit isn’t even necessary. Fleming pointed out that transit can encourage filling gaps in the urban environment, which can make walking more pleasant. He also noted that active transportation is particularly popular along the Eastside BeltLine, with some advocates eyeing the reserved transit right-of-way for additional trail space.
After a few more questions, Samuel and Bowen wrapped up the panel and thanked everyone for attending. MARTA Board meetings are typically held on the second Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. on YouTube (more info at services.itsmarta.com/meeting-schedule.aspx).