Atlanta Applies for Federal Funding for Streetcar

By Shomial Ahmad

Atlanta, GA – Supporters of a streetcar project in downtown Atlanta recently applied for federal funding. The streetcar would link major Atlanta tourist attractions and increase mobility for those who work in downtown. WABE's Shomial Ahmad reports.

The city of Atlanta partnered with MARTA and the Downtown Improvement District, asking for more than $50 million dollars in federal funding.

Luz Borrero is the deputy chief operating officer for the City of Atlanta. She says this streetcar will be a downtown loop serving Metro Atlantans, especially residents in the Auburn and Edgewood district.

"This loop also connects with the MARTA heavy rail system, and goes a couple of blocks away from Grady Memorial Hospital, and also by the Georgia State University campus."

The east-west streetcar loop also connects major Atlanta tourist spots, like the Georgia Aquarium and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. Federal approval for the funding won't come before mid-September.