Role of The Enterprise Center
A key part of the mission of The Enterprise Center is to see that advanced technology projects are brought to fruition in our region. High Speed Ground Transportation (HSGT) has the potential to play a major role in our future both from an economic development standpoint as well as reducing our dependency on off-shore oil and improving air quality.
The Enterprise Center plays an active role in seeing the Atlanta-Chattanooga-Nashville High Speed Ground Transportation Project move forward. A staff member serves on the Atlanta-Chattanooga Project Steering Committee and interfaces with key players in the project as well as initiating and maintaining contact with appropriate federal, state, and local agencies and organizations. The Enterprise Center’s staff maintains close contact with key management personnel at both the Georgia and Tennessee Departments of Transportation as they continue to develop their state passenger rail plans.
Public outreach and education is a major part of the project. The Enterprise Center’s staff has made project presentations in Tennessee and Georgia, as well as Washington, D.C. and San Diego, CA to over 1,300 individuals. The project has been enthusiastically received in all meetings.
The Enterprise Center maintains a proactive role in promoting HSGT in our region as well as nationally. Countries in Europe and Asia with well-established, dedicated “Super Train” corridors have a distinct advantage in their mobility compared with other countries such as the United States. The Enterprise Center staff realizes that in many parts of our country, and especially our region, we have two generations of people that, in the majority, have never ridden passenger rail, much less “Super Trains” as in other parts of the world. This being the case, there is a real need for outreach and education on the future of transportation in our country.
The Enterprise Center’s staff has led Advanced Transportation Technology Tours to China and Germany for key decision makers so they may be aware of technology breakthroughs being successfully put in place in those countries.