CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- A study looking at the potential of a bullet train covering the 110 miles between Chattanooga, Tenn., and Atlanta includes three route options, as advocates for the idea hope that President-elect Donald Trump's interest in high-speed rail can put more zip into the effort.
Nearly two decades after the bullet train idea surfaced, the first part of a two-track study is almost ready. The next study phase lacks needed funding to go forward, but supporters note that Trump talked up mass transit and high-speed rail during the campaign.
"So much depends on Washington's position on what they would or would not want to do," said Chattanooga resident Joe Ferguson, who for many years shepherded the city's rapid-rail efforts.
Because Tennessee would only have about 10 miles of any rail line to Atlanta, the Georgia Department of Transportation has taken the lead in the route study. It has narrowed route options to three: one that runs along Interstate 75; another that travels parallel to U.S. 411 through much of northwest Georgia; and a third that goes through Rome, Ga.
The study said the I-75 route rated best in travel time, capital cost and potential noise and vibration impacts. It has an estimated $8.7 billion price tag.
A year ago, Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke said that while a bullet train might be fun to think about, he doubted there was money or political will to build it.
"Any kind of intercity rail doesn't happen without large-scale federal investment," he said at the time. "It's pretty clear that the federal government is not in a position right now to do large-scale infrastructure investments."
But Berke said in a statement last week that Congress is talking about taking up a major infrastructure bill next year. Trump has proposed spending $1 trillion.
"As they move forward, we will work with Georgia on identifying potential opportunities if they are funded," Berke said.
The city has taken up its own study of commuter rail inside Chattanooga, a city of about 173,000 people, and a detailed report is due within a few weeks.
Dave Crockett, a former Chattanooga city councilman and a longtime proponent of fast trains, said Trump's interest is "our golden opportunity."
"We have a president who is bold thinking," he said. "This is one of his agenda items."
Crockett, who plans to run for Chattanooga mayor next year, said that connecting Chattanooga and Atlanta within 40 minutes on a 300 mph train would transform the region's economy.
He thinks the project could be turning dirt within four years.
Former Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield, who has supported the bullet train, said last week he remains optimistic that rapid-rail transit will move ahead. He said the alternative is more traffic lanes on I-75 and more runways at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport -- neither of which he supports.
Littlefield said a rapid-rail line could allow Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport to serve as an overflow to Atlanta's airport, which already is the busiest in America.
"Chattanooga could be a safety value of Atlanta," he said.
Mohamed Arafa, a spokesman for Georgia's Transportation Department, said there's no decision on what will happen next or when. He said it's up to leadership at the state and federal level to decide if they want to provide more funding into the project.
But Arafa said there's no money available right now for the next phase of study.
A Section on 11/21/2016