As of December 30th, 2017 the Atlanta Streetcar will have been in operation. The nearly 100 million-dollar project drew much criticism before it’s implementation, and it appears that some of the doubts regarding the project are turning true. A number of problems such as a short route, traffic congestion, and low ridership have plagued the streetcar since it began operating.
Something that many detractors of the streetcar project were quick to point out is that the streetcar has a very short route, making it more of an aesthetic feature as opposed to a functional one. The route is only 2.7 miles long, and due to the traffic congestion (that the streetcar is partially a cause of) the streetcar does not move particularly quickly. On an anecdotal level I often see the streetcar sitting in traffic, not making much progress. In fact, at certain times of days it’s about as fast to walk to another place on the route of the streetcar instead of riding it.
These two factors are partially what have caused such a low ridership for the streetcar. The other is that in 2016 the city began charging $1 for every ride on the streetcar. Up until that point riding the streetcar had been free. This caused a huge 50% decrease in ridership. To make matters worse, about 50% of current riders don’t even pay a fare when they ride. Profits from this move have been negligible, so it would seem that it would be logical to make the streetcar free again. Despite this, the City has persisted with charging $1 for the streetcar.
Advocates for the streetcar have pointed to economic growth in the area as a sign that the streetcar is encouraging economic development. Some credit most or all of the $2.5 billion of new development in the area to the arrival of the streetcar. The truth is that much of this new development was underway before the arrival of the streetcar, and would have occurred whether the streetcar was constructed or not. Economic gains from the streetcar cannot be entirely discounted however. Many restaurants located on the streetcars routes have reported increased activity since the streetcar began operating.
A current proposal on the table would extend the route of the streetcar 1.6 miles, connecting it with the Atlanta Beltline. The proposal would cost around $62.7 million, although it is important to keep in mind that final costs of projects such as this turn out to be greater than initial estimates. For example, in 2012 the cost of the current streetcar ballooned from $70 million to $90 million due to various unforeseen costs. Keeping all of this in mind it would seem that any reasonable person would object to any further expansions of the streetcar. However, there are success stories when it comes to streetcars, such as in Portland or Kansas City. Expansions to the streetcars route could improve it’s utility, making it more attractive to commuters or foot traffic from the Beltline. In all reality however, it may be time to stop thinking of the streetcar in terms of what it can due it terms of transit, and start thinking of it as a booster to economic activity and an aesthetically appealing feature of Atlanta. It has become patently clear that the streetcar is not the long sought after solution to Atlanta’s congestion problem.