A proposed plan to connect Chattanooga and Atlanta via high-speed rail, 17 years in the making, appears to be dead in the water. Chattanooga will now turn its attentions to a possible light rail system.
Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke "says a 17-year-old plan to connect the Scenic City to Atlanta with a bullet train is likely stopped in its tracks," according to an article by Louie Brogdon. Mayor Berke told Brogdon and other reporters from the Chattanooga Times Free Press that the project lacks the political will or the funding to come to fruition.
A separate article by Tasnim Shamma describes the proposed project: "The high-speed rail line would extend 110 miles along Interstate 75 from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to downtown Chattanooga. It’s been in the planning stages since 1998."
The project was viable enough a few years ago to receive a $13.8 million federal grant for environmental studies. Chattanooga spent $1.3 million of its own money on the same study, while Georgia added $1.5 million.
Brogdon also reports that Chattanooga is moving forward with a feasibility study to explore the possibility of converting some of the city's seldom used rail lines into a light rail public transit system.
FULL STORY: Light rail possible for Chattanooga, but bullet train unlikely, Berke says
New Study Commissioned for Atlanta BeltLine Transit
The study will assess alignment options for a 13-mile segment of the greenway.
Atlanta Proposed Rail Line to Become Bus Rapid Transit
MARTA officials argue that bus rapid transit will be faster and more cost-effective than the originally proposed light rail option.
MARTA Narrows Clifton Corridor Transit Line to Three Options
The agency has selected three potential plans for building a light rail or bus rapid transit line that would serve Emory University and other major employment and commercial hubs.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
New York Passes Housing Package Focused on New Development and Adaptive Reuse
The FY 2025 budget includes a new tax incentive, funding for affordable housing on state land, and support for adaptive reuse and ADUs.
LA Metro Board Approves New 710 Freeway Plan
The newest plan for the 710 corridor claims it will not displace any residents.
Austin’s Proposed EV Charging Rules Regulate Station Locations, Size
City planners say the new rules would ensure an efficient distribution of charging infrastructure across the city and prevent an overconcentration in residential areas.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
