All aboard
Welcome to the very first issue of Tracking Atlanta! Thank you so much for being here.
Elevator/escalator service updates from itsmarta.com:
(Please check website for real-time delays, cancellations, and updates)
- Elevators have reportedly been repaired at North Ave and West End, as of 2:00 p.m. Friday. Escalators at many stations remain out.
- Anecdotes: I personally couldn’t get the elevator door at the Edgewood-Candler Park Station on the Dekalb Ave side to open last night, but maybe it was just cold :)
What happened this week:
- No data centers near MARTA – Atlanta City Council voted on Monday to not approve zoning changes that would have allowed data centers to be constructed in Adair Park and the West End within a half-mile of MARTA stations and the Beltline. The legislation was introduced by Councilmember Antonio Lewis who said his intention was to allow private development in the area, but Mayor Andre Dickens asked City Council members to vote against the zoning changes, stating that private development of data centers would inhibit the development of affordable housing, grocery, greenspace, and retail around MARTA stations and “the urban core of our city.” (WABE) The nonprofit ThreadATL points out that the resolution was “filed,” meaning it could be brought up again in the future.
- Eshé Collins – Eshé Collins won Tuesday’s runoff election for the Atlanta City Council Post-3 At-Large Seat against Dr. Nicole Evans. Collins has served as an Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education member and is an attorney. (WABE) One of Collins’ campaign policies was “improving transit and infrastructure systems.”
- Train derailment – Rail service was disrupted for riders on Wednesday morning after a train derailed near King Memorial Station around 7:30 a.m. The fifteen passengers aboard were moved safely to another train, and there were no injuries. Service between Candler Park and Georgia State stations was not available, and there were delays on the Green and Blue lines. (ANF)
- New train control system – Coincidentally following the derailment, MARTA has contracted with a new train control system, which will include real-time tracking and improve punctuality and safety. The $500 million contract was made with Stadler Rail, the company also manufacturing the upcoming new trains, which will be introduced in 2025. (ANF)
- Kensington bike and pedestrian trail system – Plans are moving forward for GDOT’s project for a bike and pedestrian trail system around Kensington Station. The 1.4-mile trail project will compliment the 35 acres of transit-oriented development that began construction last year, making the area safer for the incoming community of 100-percent senior and workforce housing. (Urbanize)
- NextGen Bus Network – Organization Propel ATL endorses and elaborates on the draft of MARTA’s NextGen Bus Network proposal. There are a few public meetings coming up, which I’ll add below. I’ll go more into detail about this proposal in a future issue.
- I-285 Express Lanes Transit Study– MARTA and GDOT have begun holding public meetings to provide information and gather feedback about the I-285 Express Lanes Transit study. GDOT’s express lanes project looks at the northern portion of I-285 between the H.E. Holmes and Indian Creek MARTA stations. The study is designed to identify some of the needs and opportunities to get existing and new riders access to jobs and other points alongside the Perimeter. A handful of people attended Thursday’s public information meeting in Sandy Springs. (Rough Draft Atlanta) More information can be found on the project’s official website, and upcoming meeting dates in other locations can be found below.
- Safe Streets infrastructure – Propel ATL outlined what progress has been made for safer streets in their new blog post.
- Propel ATL receives $96.5k grant – Propel ATL has received a $96,581.97 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) with federal funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The grant supports community education efforts to improve bicycle safety and reduce crashes and injuries of bikers and other vulnerable road users.
What to expect this coming week:
- No Indian Creek Service this weekend – Eastbound trains will stop at Kensington instead of Indian Creek on Saturday, Dec. 8 and Sunday, Dec. 9 while a pedestrian bridge is installed at Indian Creek Station. Bus shuttles will take riders to Kensington Station to catch the train. MARTA advises allowing an extra 15 minutes for your commute. Local bus routes and parking access will not be affected. Customers who normally drive to Indian Creek should consider parking at Kensington instead. The new bridge will connect to the planned trail network and is part of the larger Indian Creek Station Rehabilitation Project. (MARTA)
- New mural at Kensington – MARTA will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a crosswalk mural from Kensington Station to the StationSoccer field today, Friday Dec. 6, at 4 p.m. The crosswalk mural will mark a safe passage for children who take MARTA to the StationSoccer field. (MARTA)
- Virtual community meetings for NextGen Bus Network are being held Thursday, December 12, 2024, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM and Tuesday, December 17, 2024, Noon – 1:30 PM. Register here.
- Holiday event – MARTA is hosting a holiday-themed customer appreciation event on Thursday, Dec. 12, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at H.E. Holmes Station. “Enjoy hot cider, cocoa, and holiday treats, shop MARTA’s holiday pop-up shop, spin the prize wheel for custom Breeze cards and swag, and bring the family to take photos with Santa, all while enjoying the sounds of DJ Sed the Saint.” (MARTA)
- Beltline Rail event and film screening – The advocacy organization Beltline Rail Now! is hosting a “Streetcar Countdown Event” and screening of a new film, The Beltline is for Everyone!, on Thursday, Dec. 12 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Mambo Zombi. The event is being held in anticipation of Mayor Dickens’ upcoming announcements on plans for Beltline Rail. (Beltline Rail Now!)
- I-285 Express Lane Transit – Here are the dates for the I-285 Eastside Express Lane meetings organized by GDOT:
(Already held) — Decatur: Exchange Park Gym Dec. 4, 2024 | 5-7 p.m.
— Atlanta: DoubleTree Hotel 4156 LaVista Rd., Atlanta, GA Dec. 9, 2024 | 5-7 p.m.
— Clarkston: Clarkston Baptist Church Gym 3999 Church St., Clarkston, GA, Dec. 10, 2024 | 5-7 p.m.
Here are the dates for the I-285 Top End Express Lane transit meetings organized by MARTA in DeKalb County:
— Clarkston: Clarkston Community Center, 3701 College Ave., Clarkston, GA, Dec. 5, 2024, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Decaturish)
- SEC Championship – MARTA encourages folks to take transit to the various SEC Championship events this weekend.
Other things of note:
No MARTA expansion – Cobb and Gwinnett voters reject public transit expansion proposed in ballot measures (Nov. 7, WABE)
Five Points renovation back on – MARTA and Atlanta to move forward with Five Points Station renovation (Nov. 13, WABE)
Single tracking sucks – MARTA Takes No Pride in Weekend ‘Special Schedules’ (Nov. 1, The Xylom) – An investigation by local news organization The Xylom found that tracking-related service cuts have slowed down the frequency of trains on the north-south route for almost 80% of weekends since October 2023, and in total, nearly 5,500 weekend trains were taken out of service last year.
A Man Was Lynched Here – An “autonomous group of New Yorkers” covered the ad space of an MTA subway car with bold black-and-white posters reading A MAN WAS LYNCHED HERE and Jordan Neely’s name, as a jury deliberates this week over whether to convict Daniel Penny with Neely’s death last May. (Talia Jane, Instagram)
Mobility win? – The man suspected to have killed the CEO of UnitedHealthcare reportedly took a bus that began its route in Atlanta to New York. He also reportedly fled the scene on an e-bike. (ANF)
Have a great weekend and stay warm!
