ATLANTA (AP) — The debut of the Atlanta Streetcar, which has been delayed numerous times, is still unknown and officials say it won't start carrying passengers this weekend as some had hoped.

Streetcar spokeswoman Sharon Gavin tells The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (http://bit.ly/1Akdyau) that the project still hasn't received final approvals from state and federal transportation authorities.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed had asked state and federal officials to allow the transit service to begin Saturday.

A.J. Robinson, head of the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, has said that part of the push for a Saturday opening was to capture riders in town for the Southeastern Conference football championship on Saturday at the Georgia Dome and during the holidays.

The Federal Transit Administration has raised concerns that include the timeframe to complete safety reviews and employee training.

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