How The Atlanta Streetcar Loop Looks Right Now

Last week's streetcar sightings were proof that big sleek people-movers will soon be toting passengers in a loop stretching from Centennial Olympic Park to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic district. More accurately, "loop" should be plural, as the route is a 2.7-mile figure eight with tracks that converge at Woodruff Park. So there's no time like the present to check in on the actual route and see where construction stands. After considerable early delays, it's clear that things are humming, with much of the track laid and other concrete-pouring work under way. Some streets are even adorned with streetcar signs warning against the use of bicycles. The most recent projected streetcar opening we've heard is "late spring," and it's worth noting that spring lasts until June 20 this year. Rides will be free for the first three months of operation — a means to attract ridership and, officials say, thank commuters and residents hassled by construction — and will eventually cost $1 per trip, or $3 for a day pass. Leaders hope the downtown line will be the initial seed of a more extensive transit network. The route will have 12 stops, with an estimated 15 minutes between trains.
· More wondrous Visual Journeys from around Atlanta [Curbed]
· Recent Atlanta Streetcar coverage, discussion [Curbed]
[Photos: Christopher T. Martin, Curbed Atlanta]