Last week, as you might have heard, the Georgia Department of Transportation began the process of seeking a private partner to develop the long-planned downtown Atlanta train terminal.
The project — planned for the Gulch, that 16-acre parking lot near Philips Arena and the Georgia Dome —Â would boast facilities for all modes of transportation, including bus service and showers for commuter cyclists. The mammoth station could feature eight tracks for MARTA, commuter and intercity trains, and could handle as many as 400 buses.

Even more important, the terminal would become the "new front door" to the city and a magnet for redevelopment. It'd also be a key part of Central Atlanta Progress' "Green Line," the downtown civic booster's land-use plan that re-imagines the historic yet ho-hum section of the city as a park-filled, pedestrian friendly wonderland.

Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall, who represents the area, said the terminal could be similar to an "Atlantic Station" for downtown. Hell, maybe it could even include a casino to boost nightlife and give conventioneers somewhere else to go besides strip clubs.

Someone on SSP made the great suggestion that they name the transit station "Terminus", as in, the original name of Atlanta.

If we could ever get the Brain Train off the ground, seems like a perfect place to end that line at too.

It kind of depresses me that there're so many cool ideas for change in Atlanta, but the initiative and money just doesn't seem to be there.