Atlanta's Trolley

ATLANTA TROLLEY INSTEAD OF PEACHTREE STREETCAR?

In mid 2007 Mayor Franklin formed the Peachtree Corridor Task Force to create a vision for our city’s signature street. Peachtree Corridor, as defined by the Task Force, is 14.5 miles long and extends from the Beltline crossing of Lee Street in the couth to Club Drive and the city limits in the north. The Task Force recommended a 25-year, $1billion vision to transform Peachtree into a world-class boulevard characterized by high quality streetscapes, including sidewalks, pocket parks and public spaces, consistent signage, attractive lighting, trees, flowers and other elements. The Task Force also recommended the development of a modern streetcar to connect and unify the corridor.

The Task Force objectives apparently were to highlight Peachtree, create transportation “pizzazz” different from other cities’ transport, integrate streetscapes & transportation mode, service new high rise residential and create reason to develop on Peachtree.


I (and many other Council Members) had months ago supported the idea of a streetcar (such as Portland’s) when the idea was presented as a way to increase tourism and help Downtown redevelop. But at the time the idea was presented, there was no conversation about how the streetcar would be funded. And at the time, no one discussed what other routes other than Peachtree might benefit our Atlanta residents.

The recommendation from the Task Force of linking our city from the northern city limits to Fort Mac with a new type of vehicle special to Atlanta seems like a good idea. AND, I have never heard any opposition to beautifying Peachtree with streetscapes, lighting and pocket parks.

But the idea of imposing a Special Assessment District (SAD) with no referendum to fund the first phase of the streetcar in only Downtown and Midtown needs some more conversation among the six City Council members who represent segments of Peachtree. We already had several conversations about the amount of time it would take to complete the transportation vision, the amount of money need to fund the vision, the opposition to the type of vehicle with overhead wires, and especially with the idea of imposing a SAD on business and condo owners with no referendum.

I think maybe we should go back to the drawing board, partially. My personal view is that we should consider another, smaller attractive vehicle that is not fixed rail and that can be used for circulators for neighborhoods and for tourists. Our objectives should not be just for Peachtree, but city-wide: to provide non-auto transit for short destinations, to provide tourist transport, to be attractive enough to be an alternative to a car or taxi, to service new high rise residential, but which does not interfere with the current flow of traffic. I think it could also offer a way for Atlantans to get to the Beltline.

Trolleys, ore smaller circulator buses, are available with low-to-the-curb entrance doors for a much lower cost than streetcars. A lower-cost vehicle could allow the vision of whole-city use much sooner. These smaller circulator vehicles might attract more users than big buses and could maneuver more neighborhood routes than just Peachtree. Whether it is sufficiently “pizzazy” to provide a unique transportation experience for Atlanta would have to be tested.

What about the funding? I propose that we have a city-wide referendum to fund this new attractive circulator trolley and the streetscape improvements. Atlanta citizens have overwhelmingly supported two bond referenda—in 1994 and in 2000—aimed at street improvements and traffic calming and streetscapes and sidewalks. The 2000 bond program is winding down now. If this idea is deemed to be a good idea, the residents of the whole city would support it—not just businesses and condo owners in Midtown and Downtown.