An estimated 51,000 people have taken a ride on the Atlanta Streetcar during its opening month, according to transit officials.
With ridership free through March, residents, tourists and curiosity seekers have been climbing aboard to test it out. Weekends have been especially busy for the system and so was the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Even media mogul Ted Turner was spotted taking a ride.
The $98 million streetcar project has garnered nationwide press coverage, including a big New York Times feature, Forbes magazine, and Atlanta magazine’s Rebecca Burns chronicled her weeklong test on getting from her loft in Cabbagetown to her office in Downtown. There’s already been a dining adventure, with foodies jumping on and off the streetcar to sample restaurants along the 2.7-mile loop.
Expanding the line is already on the drawing board. Connecting it to the Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside and Westside Trails has been discussed, which would also link it to more MARTA stations.
Of course, expansion costs money and Mayor Kasim Reed is encouraging lawmakers to allocate more funding for mass transit like the streetcar during the ongoing Georgia Legislative session. Yesterday, Jan. 28, lawmakers unveiled a new transportation funding plan with $100 million earmarked for transit. Whether the streetcar expansion would see any of those dollars – or if the plan will even pass – remains to be seen.
For a map of the streetcar stops, visit streetcar.atlantaga.gov and keep up with events and news at facebook.com/AtlantaStreetcar.
