Trolley Around Atlanta
I was reading an article, which was posted on the AJC the first of August, about the Trolley Project that would place new trolley lines up and down Peachtree Street. I was also talking to a buddy of mine about it and he said the real plan is to take the unused rail track, that is all over this city, and make the trolley line more of a circle. The concept would be to get on a Trolley and basically ride “around” the city stopping to shop, head to a ball game or whatever. If this full project really does happen, it would be wonderful.
Atlanta has so much to offer but, due to traffic and lack of parking space – unless you want to pay $8-$25 bucks a day – it’s a bit of a hassle to enjoy traveling around the city. The cool places are not all in one district and even walking between spots in one district can wear you out.
So, if the city does get a nice little trolley system, even one that just goes up and down Peachtree Street – the main north / south road – it would be way cool.
Reference: | AJC main | AJC article on the trolley system from 8-1-04 | A short history of the Buckhead area |
UPDATE: Thanks to Jessica, I have been set straight. I was thinking about the Belt Line Project that will circle inside the city. Both or one would be cool.
Reference: | Belt Line Project |
Your friend has two different mooted projects mixed up — the “Belt Line” project (which takes advantage of the unused track) and the Peachtree trolley project are two different projects (and, fortunately, the success of one is not necessarily dependent on the success of the other). Now, it’s possible the two groups are talking to each other, and that down the line the two projects would be coordinated.
More on the Belt Line is here:
http://www.cathyatlanta.com/work/issues/belt_line_transit.html
I’m not sure how feasible the trolley plan is: how would they widen Peachtree?
The Trolley project sounds really neat, but it’s going to be a lot more expensive than the backers think. There are a lot of unused rail right of ways here in town, but, they generally do not connect up. When the trolleys were shut down after World War II, the owners of the rails began selling them piece meal.
Fun fact about the old trolley system. It ran from Campbellton in the south to Bolton and all the way to Marietta. I have been told that it also may have run all the way to Gainesville.