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Hearing
in Washington to consider high-speed rail proposal
Atlanta Regional Commission officials traveled to Washington last week
to provide comment at a public hearing sponsored by the Federal Railroad
Administration regarding its efforts to bring magnetic levitation train
technology to this country for the first time.
Seven corridors around the country, including the Atlanta/Chattanooga
region, have completed initial feasibility studies.
ARC led the Maglev feasibility study over the past year, with the participation
of cosponsors Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and Georgia Department
of Transportation. The local demonstration line, if selected for construction,
would run from Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport to Kennesaw State
University, with eventual service to Chattanooga.
“The results of the Atlanta Region’s initial feasibility study
have been very positive,” said Tom Weyandt, ARC director of comprehensive
planning.
While Atlanta’s feasibility study identified only one-tenth as many
potential impacts as some other study corridors, Weyandt still emphasized
sensitivity to neighborhoods in his testimony. “We feel that the
issue of environmental justice and potential impacts to sensitive neighborhoods
cannot be overstated,” he said.
If Atlanta is selected as one of the final candidates for this new technology,
Weyandt said that further intensive public involvement efforts would take
place, along with a thorough study of a tunnel option for the entire length
of the Northside Drive portion of the alignment.
The Atlanta/Chattanooga Maglev feasibility study demonstrates that the
project would meet or exceed all the required conditions and criteria
with minimal impacts, according to ARC officials.
“Initial studies show that the project would be profitable from its
initial operation, and is projected to attract 20,000 passengers per day
by 2025,” said Bob McCord, ARC’s Maglev coordinator. “For
a new public transportation project to operate without subsidies is generally
unheard of.
“In addition, the required speed of 240 mph can be achieved in this
initial segment, even though it traverses the dense urban core of the
city of Atlanta,” said McCord. “This is a fast, smooth and clean
technology that could greatly benefit this region.”
“Overall, in comparison to the other six studies, ARC is very pleased
with the potential impacts related to the Atlanta/Chattanooga Maglev project,”
said Weyandt. “It is not often that an entirely new transportation
system can be added to a major metropolitan area like Atlanta, with significant
positive impacts and only minimal environmental impacts.”
The federal government is expected to select one or more projects from
the seven study corridors this fall for further study, with the successful
corridor slated for final selection in spring of 2001. For information,
log onto www.acmaglev.com.
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