A coalition of business and government leaders in metro Atlanta, Northwest Georgia and the Greater Chattanooga area have resumed efforts to advocate for high-speed rail service between Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and Chattanooga, Tennessee and its airport.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Georgia Department of Transportation, and the Tennessee Department of Transportation are working together to evaluate the viability of the route.
The groups’ efforts are focused on a previously proposed Atlanta to Chattanooga High Speed Ground Transportation (HSGT) Project. And while the goal of that project is to provide a high-speed rail link between the Atlanta and Chattanooga airports, much of the route, which parallels I-75, would provide daily high-speed commuter rail service between Atlanta’s southern and northern suburbs along the I-75 corridor, including stops at eight stations, four of which would be in metro Atlanta.
On September 22, 2017, the Federal Railroad Administration released a Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision for the Project. A route that parallels I-75 was established as the preferred option. Next steps include ridership and environmental studies, technology evaluations, identifying exact route and station locations, and estimating the project’s cost, which is expected to total at least $8.5 billion.
An initial plan proposes round trip service between eight stations, which, progressing north, would include service from the southernmost station – Hartsfield Jackson International Airport – north to stations in downtown Atlanta, as well as Smyrna, Kennesaw, Cartersville, and Dalton, before stopping at the Chattanooga airport and downtown Chattanooga.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Georgia Department of Transportation, and the Tennessee Department of Transportation have evaluated potential high-speed passenger rail corridors for the project.
On September 22, 2017, the FRA released the Tier 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision for the Project. The next step is to move forward with “Tier 2 National Environmental Policy Act studies” – which will define rail technology, alignment locations, station locations, vehicle storage and maintenance facility locations, ridership and cost forecasts, and avoidance, minimization, and mitigation of environmental impacts.
A coalition of business and governmental leaders are working to inform community leaders, stakeholders, and citizens to create awareness and address questions and concerns.
David Crockett, who served as Chairman of Chattanooga’s City Council, noted that while the city’s interest in the rail project included improving its economy, other key benefits included improving the environment and educational opportunities.
“Chattanooga was an early industrial city, and the scenic mountains that surround the city also trapped pollutants, and that pollution led the federal government to declare that Chattanooga had the dirtiest air in the nation,” Crockett recalls.
“Over the years we’ve worked to overcome that image, so we’ve developed a long-term environmental plan, cleaned up the air, and created a livable city, including a new Riverfront that attracts residents and tourists,” he said.
“High-speed rail service is part of the strategy to maintain a cleaner environment,” Crockett adds. “In addition to strengthening the linked economies of northwest Georgia and Tennessee, this connectivity will create a regional economic power that includes Chattanooga, Northwest Georgia, and metro Atlanta.”
Ridership could climb to has high as 12,000 people per day, though it’s unclear how many commuters would utilize the entirety of the 128-mile trip, slated to take under 90 minutes despite traffic conditions.
“This project will enhance regional transportation mobility and accessibility in highly populated areas with population and employment growth,” noted David Connell, who heads up the economic development practice for Taylor English Decisions and is the former CEO of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. “It will address congested transportation corridors that offer limited options for commuters, and spur economic growth, enhance airport access and intermodal connections, and improve air quality.”
