The rollout of the Atlanta Streetcar in Downtown will be delayed until summer as costs skyrocket and the city decides who will operate the 2.7-mile system. According to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (paywall), the city has yet to announce if one of three private contractors, MARTA or the city itself will manage the streetcar on a day-to-day basis.
Annual operation costs have ballooned since the project was first announced from $1.7 million to between $3 and $4 million, while construction costs have risen from $60 million to nearly $100 million.
Just last month, the Atlanta Streetcar showcased one of the cars on the loop, which runs from Centennial Olympic Park to the King Center. Originally expected to open by Memorial Day weekend, the delay to summer is blamed on weather, including the winter storms, and lags in federal and state oversight.