Streetcar takes inaugural ride, kicks off three months of free passenger service
Mayor says next leg should be connection to Atlanta Beltline
Hundreds of Atlantans gathered in Downtown today where Peachtree Street meets Auburn Avenue to celebrate the official opening of the Atlanta Streetcar, the 2.7-mile transit loop running from Centennial Olympic Park to the King Center.
The inaugural ride shuttled elected officials, civic leaders, and media from the $98 million transit line's maintenance facility from under I-75 to Woodruff Park. After a brass band and invocation started the event, Mayor Kasim Reed said that the project was already yielding results. More than $400 million in new construction investment could be found within five miles of Woodruff Park stop, he said. The project would play a key role in transporting the more than 45 million tourists who visit the city each year. It would also help make Atlanta denser and more walkable — the type of place where people of all ages want to live and work.
A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress, echoed this idea. To the people who doubted the overbudget and behind-schedule project he said simply: "We did not build this for you." The streetcar is an investment in future generations, Robinson argued, a point repeated by MARTA CEO and General Manager Keith Parker. "These are not projects for right now," Parker said.
What's next for the transit vehicle? Reed said he envisions it connecting to the Atlanta Beltline's Eastside Trail next — and he thinks the city could be competitive for federal funding that could make the extension happen.
We'll have more on this story. In the meantime, view photos from the event after the jump. Or go ride the streetcar. Rides are free for the first three months. After that, a one-way trip will cost $1. Children under the age of 10 ride free. The fare system is also compatible with MARTA's Breeze Card system. For more information, visit the streetcar's website.
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Auburn Ave closed for inaugural #atlstreetcar ride #atlpol pic.twitter.com/yqamqmf9mQ
— Thomas Wheatley (@thomaswheatley) December 30, 2014
We have been swallowed by the steel beast from hell! pic.twitter.com/DeaKOyeCsP
— Thomas Wheatley (@thomaswheatley) December 30, 2014
Here's the route #atlstreetcar pic.twitter.com/t5uF5gjZXU
— Thomas Wheatley (@thomaswheatley) December 30, 2014
Scene from Atlanta Streetcar dedication. https://t.co/kdU77D72Fc
— Greg Giuffrida (@gmgiuffrida) December 30, 2014
Line to ride #atlstreetcar is a block long at woodruff park pic.twitter.com/e1FkNknzU0
— Thomas Wheatley (@thomaswheatley) December 30, 2014