January 7, 2004

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Atlanta Streetcar Inc., the nonprofit group hoping to build an eight-mile streetcar line on Peachtree Street, is gearing up for the first meeting of its executive committee -- and to committing money to the popular $200 million project.

Michael Robison, president of Lanier Parking Systems, will chair the first executive committee meeting, which will receive a recommendation from its staff on which of four consultant teams to hire for a feasibility study of the project.

The organization invited firms last year to submit their qualifications for working on the study. They received responses from Carter & Burgess Inc., HDR Inc., URS Corp. and Wilbur Smith Associates.

The full streetcar board of directors will have its first meeting on Jan. 20 and will consider the executive committee's recommendation on a team to conduct the feasibility study.

While Atlanta Streetcar's executive committee evaluated firms, Robison, the board and executive committee chairman, and his transportation advisers have been meeting with the multitude of local, regional and state officials who ultimately will have some role to play in the streetcar effort.

"Most people, except for people involved in the project, don't realize that thousands of people hours have already gone into the project," Robison said.

"Streetcar a big desire for Peachtree Street,"
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1/7/04

Representatives on the 25-member Board of Directors include:

• John Portman Jr., chairman of Portman Properties;
• Georgia State University President Carl Patton;
• Cousins Properties President Tom Bell;
• Green Street Properties Chairman Charles Brewer;
• Georgia Tech President G. Wayne Clough; and
• Bank of America executive Milton Jones.

Related links:

• Peachtree Street Streetcar Survey
• "Atlanta Streetcar Plan Gaining Momentum", WSB-TV Atlanta
• "Big names come out in support of Atlanta trolley plan," Gwinnett Daily Post