The Atlanta Streetcar is still running practice routes to prepare for operation on downtown streets. But in the past week, the Streetcar has been involved in two wrecks as other drivers have attempted to beat the 80-foot-long vehicle, and instead hit it, according to police.
On Sunday, a driver attempted to pass the Streetcar near Centennial Olympic Park, according to a spokeswoman for Atlanta Streetcar. The Streetcar was attempting to turn when a driver, whose name was not released, hit it during a test run, Sharon Gavin told Channel 2 Action News.
“(It’s) safest to wait behind it because it’s 80 feet long. 96,000 pounds against regular vehicles – it’s not a good move,” Gavin said.
No details were available on citations for the driver accused of causing the crash, Atlanta police said. But in a police report released Monday, details were released about a separate Wednesday crash involving a Streetcar and a driver attempting to pass it.
Investigators believe Darion Lavon Hamilton attempted to run a red light at the intersection of Peachtree and Ellis streets and struck the Streetcar, a police report states. Hamilton, of Atlanta, was cited, according to police.
Once opened, the first phase of the Atlanta Streetcar project includes 12 stops along 2.7 track miles. But the project has been delayed twice, most recently due to safety concerns.
The system’s planners initially said it would begin in late April or early May, but winter storms and complications with underground utilities were among factors that pushed the timeline back. The city rolled back the start date to summer, then November and now December.
Mayor Kasim Reed has made Dec. 6 a target date for service, pending necessary state and federal approvals. However, city leaders have not yet announced an official opening.
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