There is no single answer to Atlanta’s traffic problem. The long-term solution will provide a variety of transportation choices, and streetcars will be just one. The system will be designed to complement existing and proposed transit systems throughout the metro area.

Streetcar systems have been successfully revived in several cities. These systems have proven to be financially sound and attractive to both resident commuters and tourists. Streetcars have also attracted smart development in cities like Portland and Tampa.

Many different streetcar designs are available. Some have a “retro” look, designed to recall streetcars of the 1930s and '40s. Others are very contemporary, with sleek, aerodynamic bodies. Some run on overhead wires, while others don’t.

During World War II, the city’s streetcars were converted to “trackless trolleys” -- basically electric powered buses. Atlanta’s last streetcar ran on April 10, 1949. By the 1960s, suburban development and the rise of two-car families put the trackless trolley out of business in Atlanta and most other U.S. cities.

It would:

deliver passengers closer to the front door of their destinations by providing a distribution system and connecting to the Atlanta region’s existing and future mass transit infrastructures.

connect our three crown jewels – Downtown, Midtown and Buckhead – along our grand boulevard in a manner befitting their unique cultures.

reduce traffic congestion and pollution in the Atlanta region.

capture economic development opportunities - commercial, housing, recreational, and tourism - thereby expanding the region’s employment and tax base.

provide an enjoyable means of transportation that fits the scale of our desired urban developments, enhances a pedestrian-friendly community, appeals to the senses, attracts ridership and becomes a part of Atlantans’ everyday life.

provide an entertaining, enjoyable, and simple means of displaying Atlanta’s finest wares to residents and visitors alike.

educate the public on the inherent benefits of restoring streetcar service to the Peachtree corridor.

To garner the permanent financial and political resources necessary to accomplish and preserve our mission.

The proposed line will run along the Peachtree corridor from Buckhead to downtown. A downtown loop that will circulate around Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia World Congress Center, Philips Arena, the new Georgia Aquarium and Auburn Avenue is also recommended. The latter of these received funding first and is in development.

Atlanta once again has the critical mass to support a streetcar system. Just as there was a migration to the suburbs in previous decades, today many people are moving back into the city, attracted by a wide range of housing choices, job opportunities and cultural amenities.