Atlanta to Chattanooga high speed train, anyone?

[LizellaJacket]

Congress has appropriated funds to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for the purpose of funding intermodal transportation planning in the Atlanta - Chattanooga Corridor. The recipients of the federal funds, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) have requested that the funds be used to initiate the Federal environmental process for deployment of high-speed ground transportation (HSGT) system in this corridor. The FHWA and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have agreed to pursue this effort, and the funds have been transferred to the FRA for this work.

The selected consultant will prepare a Tier-1 EIS for the Atlanta-Chattanooga High-Speed Ground Transportation Initiative, as specified below, involving appropriate environmental and related analyses of the HSGT alternatives, including magnetic levitation (maglev) technology, in compliance with applicable requirements of both state and Federal law.

I got this off the GT message board. This would be huge. If it could somehow have stops along the way in Cartersville, Kennesaw, Marietta, Perimeter it would get alot of people out of their cars. Only downside, is that it would encourage more sprawl.

[monsoon]

If this is actually true, I think Atlanta/GA would be much better served by building its part of the South East High Speed Rail network to Charlotte. This would give Atlanta HS access to the Northeast which I could imagine would draw a lot more customers than a train to Chattanooga.

The colored parts of the map are already in Tier II EIS design.

[UrbanAtl]

I hope that this leads to action and not just another study. We've had enough studies. It's time to start building soemthing.

[teshadoh]

^ It will be a loooong study, will easily take years to finish. The corridor runs through many natural sensitive areas as well as the Atlanta alignment has major environmental justice concerns.

[SAV]

I hope that this leads to action and not just another study. We've had enough studies. It's time to start building soemthing.

Amen

[Andrea]

I love trains and especially passenger rail. I also like cool technology.

However, I'm still not sure how it helps urbanism in Atlanta to run a maglev to Chattanooga. What's the goal, just to spread the metro area out even more? It seems to me we'd be far better off pursuing transit projects which address the concerns of the existing city, and which enhance the quality of intown living and encourage people to live here. Can you imagine how much difference several billion dollars would make in terms of increased park space, streetcars, burying utility lines, creating boulevards, improving street grids, etc.?

[monsoon]

Ahh this is yet another maglev study. It will never happen and it amazes me that congressmen keep wasting money on studies for maglev.

[teshadoh]

I love trains and especially passenger rail. I also like cool technology.

However, I'm still not sure how it helps urbanism in Atlanta to run a maglev to Chattanooga. What's the goal, just to spread the metro area out even more? It seems to me we'd be far better off pursuing transit projects which address the concerns of the existing city, and which enhance the quality of intown living and encourage people to live here. Can you imagine how much difference several billion dollars would make in terms of increased park space, streetcars, burying utility lines, creating boulevards, improving street grids, etc.?

Absolutely agree Andrea - & this project indicates the huge problem we have nationally with our transportation funding. Congress has control of which projects are funded. So - rather than transit projects that would directly serve the urban areas with the highest density of population, where there is already higher transit ridership & an established need - we get pork barrel projects without an established need.

In fact - the initial plan for this project was primarily to connect Atlanta's airport & Chattanooga's airport, in order to provide additional flights. This was before the 5th runway was to be built in the 90's, now the runway is being built. True - there may be future overcrowding at the airport, but a maglev train connecting two disimilar cities isn't the answer.

This plan died out years ago b/c the funding source was based on a national competition with other proposed maglev projects. I don't know who won out - but this line scored very low.

Again - they are jumping the gun on expected demand, rather than normal passenger rail service - or even regular bus service - something laughably unneccessary. From what I remember, the key proponents were from Cobb County - who will get a BRT line in a number of years anyways.

What I would wish were funded anyways - is the passenger rail service to connect Chicago & Florida, running through Atlanta. The governors of Indiana, Kentucky & Tennessee have supported this AMTRAK line, but our state has been quiet. Also of course, the original proposal from the 90's for state wide & metro passenger rail service. Lastly, a rail connection to Birmingham - which is a city that has more economic connections to & has an airport that would better serve Atlanta's additional needs.

[flith]

GDOT has applied $ 34 million to accelerate development of Atlanta to Chattanooga high speed rail. $14 million was secured last year. This is envisioned as part of a Chicago to Florida corridor.