City of Atlanta | 17
City has also produced
an EV Readiness Man-
ual to help property
owners, residents, and
other municipalities un-
derstand challenges and
opportunities involving
the growing popularity
of electric vehicles. To
support the electric ve-
hicle infrastructure de-
velopment, the City has
partnered with the EV
Project (run by ECO-
tality), which offers free
Blink Chargers to EV
drivers and commercial
host sites in Atlanta. Be-
cause of the significant
strides Atlanta has made
in this area, the office
was recently invited to
the White House to par-
ticipate in a forum focusing on how to build
stakeholder collaboration and effectively de-
velop infrastructure crucial to the needs aris-
ing from electronic vehicles.
Another major undertaking involves
mass transportation, and in this case, Atlanta
is preparing infrastructure that will not only
improve air quality by lowering fuel emis-
sions, but also reduce dependence on fuel for
those who take advantage of a new street car
system. The City only recently began laying
track for this endeavor which, at present, is
planned to run between the Martin Luther
King Jr. National Historic Site and the Cen-
tennial Olympic Park. This project cost $93
million, which includes cost of the streetcar
and needed corridor improvements, but half
of the costs are covered by a federal stimu-
lus grant. Other funding is provided by the
Atlanta Downtown Improvement District
which is a self-taxing business district. City
officials are determined to create a more sub-
stantial streetcar system which, if all goes
as planned, may expand throughout all of
downtown and midtown Atlanta one day.
While that connectivity poses benefits
for shoppers, students, workers and resi-
dents alike, City officials believe it will also
prompt business development along traveled
corridors, but more importantly, help reduce
the emissions which would otherwise under-
mine Atlanta’s air quality. As Quarles says,
“We all breathe the air, and improving air
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