10 Questions: Ethan Davidson

 Many people see the Atlanta Beltline, Inc as an integral component to solving the city's transportation woes. At the center of that project is ABI's Director of Communications, Ethan Davidson. Today we sit down with Ethan to talk about his role in the Beltline vision and where he sees the Beltline taking the city of Atlanta.

1) First off, how often do people mispronounce your first name as “ee-thun” instead of “ay-tahn”?

 It happens just about every day. I don’t even notice anymore.

2) So, you’re the Director of Communications with Atlanta Beltline Inc, which means you do a lot of talking to people like me. Describe what your main responsibilities are and tell us about your day-to-day routine.

 Working with reporters and providing them with information about the project is a big part of my role. I also oversee the BeltLine.org web site with my colleagues at the BeltLine Partnership as well as write and send out newsletters and updates for our stakeholders, including our Board of Directors, City Council and our advisory boards and committees. Planning and executing communications strategies around various initiatives, whether it is a planning process in a specific area of the BeltLine or something more BeltLine-wide, is probably the part of my job that I enjoy the most. One of the best parts of working here is that something unexpected usually happens, and we have to react very quickly. I know that’s a thought that scares many people, but I find it invigorating.

3) What part of the city do you live in?

 I am a new resident of Oakhurst. It’s a wonderful, walkable neighborhood and I can even take MARTA to work from there!

4) How and when did you first hear about and become associated with the Beltline?

 I first heard about the BeltLine in 2006 when I was still living in New York. A cousin of mine from Atlanta was telling me about the project and it sounded fascinating. In the spring of 2008, I learned there might be an opening for communications director at ABI, and I jumped at the chance to be considered. I was hired in August 2008 and it’s been full steam ahead ever since.

5) You started off in politics, in the office of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg before joining The Partnership for New York City, Inc, which does a lot of work in policy formulation. How has your first-hand knowledge of policy making on city, state and federal levels helped you with your work at ABI?

 I would say the most valuable experience from New York City government is knowing how cities and municipalities function, and how policy is formulated and implemented. The BeltLine is a city project and there are numerous stakeholders, including the public, private organizations and several city agencies that have resources and interests in different parts of the project. Being sensitive to those different needs is critical in advancing policies that will work and ultimately get the best results. The political experience from my former life has come in handy particularly in gauging what sorts of responses are required in different situations.

6) New York City is the only city in the US where more people use public transportation than private. Aside from its sheer size, what fundamental differences do you see in the way New York has approached public transit from the way Atlanta has?

 New York City’s transit system is over 100 years old and to a great degree catalyzed the development of the five boroughs. New York City is also incredibly dense compared to Atlanta. Atlanta will never be, nor should it be, as dense as New York City (not even close!), but I think some of the same lessons of how New York developed apply- give people more mobility options and they will use them. Build new transit, and developers will build around it. Driving has been the dominant transportation mode in Atlanta for the last several decades, and will remain so for a long time I think. However, new transit in the form of the BeltLine, and hopefully other types of rail transit over time, will change the way Atlanta functions as a city, getting more people out of their cars in favor of transit, bicycles and walking.

7) What are the biggest opportunities you see for the city of Atlanta to improve upon in the realm of commuter transit?

 A good commuter rail system could have a tremendous impact on the region. If people have the ability to take a relaxed train ride from a suburb to the city center for a competitive price, it could be a real game changer. Some people are extremely attached to their cars, but I think there is a huge population of people who would take sitting on an air conditioned train, sipping coffee and reading the paper over battling traffic any day.

8) What is the toughest part of your job?

 Talking to reporters on deadline at night on my cell phone while trying to give my son a bath. A close second is helping the public understand that in this long-term project we are making significant early progress, including acquiring land, completing key engineering studies, building trails, starting construction on several parks and making the project as attractive and competitive as possible for federal dollars. The BeltLine is a 25-year undertaking, and though we’ve come a long way in three years, it’s never enough- not for us or the public.

9) I participated recently in one of the community events sponsored by the Beltline co-op and posted the recap on this site. How important do you feel it is for residents of the community to be a part of the overall process?

 The BeltLine vision will only be realized if residents feel invested in the outcomes. So far, that has proven very much to be the case and it has helped the project overcome several substantial hurdles. Our staff devotes a tremendous amount of time and effort to community engagement and listening to the community because we believe, ultimately, that capturing the desires of each community and meeting the needs of the city overall will produce the best results. At the end of the day, it’s the people’s BeltLine.

10) Describe in one word what you believe the Beltline means to the city of Atlanta.

 Hope.