MARTA averaging 400+ bus cancellations per day; more NextGen Bus Network meetings coming up

Happy Black History Month! Check out the full list of MARTA-accessible Black History Month events.

MARTA averaging more than 400 bus cancellations per day – A new website developed by the creator of the Smarta app shows the number of bus cancellations each day, which typically ranges from 300 all the way up to 637, not including January’s couple of snow days. (Thanks to ThreadATL for posting on Instagram about this, and Chad Etzel for creating the website and app.)

Share your support for safer streets -- Two state-funded projects to make Atlanta-area streets safer are seeking feedback this week. The project on a section of East College Avenue, including Agnes Scott College, the Avondale MARTA Station, and Avondale Elementary School, is accepting feedback until Monday, Feb 10. The project to improve 14th Street in Atlanta, where a pedestrian was killed in a crosswalk by a driver, is accepting feedback until Friday, Feb 14. Learn about both projects on Propel ATL.

Sluggish transportation progress -- A review of the Moving Atlanta Forward infrastructure package found that only 10% has been used out of the $460 million for transportation projects approved by Atlanta voters in 2022. No proposed sidewalk projects or Safe Streets projects have been completed yet. (Propel ATL)

East Lake Station closure – Beginning March 24, the South entrance of East Lake Station will be closed to replace the pedestrian bridge. The closure will affect the South pedestrian bridge, bus loop, and South parking lot. Bus routes 2, 19 and 34 will be rerouted to the north side. A free shuttle will operate between the North and South parking lots. Find more info on the planned closure here. 

East Lake Station shooting – One person was shot at the East Lake Station on the evening of Feb 3. MARTA Police say the gunshot wound was not life-threatening and the victim was taken to the hospital. MARTA Police are still searching for the suspect. (Decaturish)

XPress commuter buses – After pushback from the community, Xpress commuter buses will not cut down on Downtown and Midtown Atlanta stops. 81% of surveyed riders opposed reducing the number of downtown-area stops.The Xpress bus system is struggling with low ridership compared to pre-COVID days, along with a $4 million state funding cut. 
Now, two routes will end at MARTA stations: The Ga. 400 route will end at MARTA’s Medical Center station, and the I-85 South route will end at the Lakewood/Fort McPherson station. Getting downtown from those routes would require a transfer. (AJC)

Gross – The new US transportation secretary Sean Duffy says the department’s decisions about federal transportation funding will take into account communities with higher birth and marriage rates. It’s unclear how this would affect Georgia, writes Sara Gregory from the AJC, as our birth rate is tied with the national average, and our marriage rate is slightly lower. (AJC)

Ride the Streetcar on Valentine’s Day – On February 14, from 12 to 2pm, Guitarist Stephon Williams will serenade streetcar riders with romantic tunes. The Streetcar is most easily accessible from Peachtree Center Station.

NextGen Bus Network Public Meetings

Public meetings on the NextGen Bus Network Redesign draft continue this week. Here is the full list of dates, times, and locations for all meetings:

Saturday, Feb 8, 10:30AM – virtual; System-Wide Public Meeting
Monday, Feb 10, 12:00PM – in-person and virtual; City of Atlanta Public Meeting
Atlanta Regional Commission Harry West Conference Center
229 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA
Tuesday, Feb 11, 12:00PM – in-person and virtual; Dekalb Public Meeting
Center for Pan Asian Community Services
3510 Shallowford Road, Atlanta, GA
Tuesday, Feb 11, 12:00PM – in-person and virtual; City of Atlanta Public Meeting
Northside Branch Library
3295 Northside Parkway Northwest, Atlanta, GA
Tuesday, Feb 11, 6:00PM – in-person and virtual, Dekalb Public Meeting Lou Walker Senior Center
2538 Panola Road, Lithonia, GA
Wednesday, Feb 12, 12:00PM – virtual; South Fulton Lunch & Learn
Thursday, Feb 13, 12:00PM – virtual; Clayton Lunch & Learn
Friday, Feb 14, 12:00PM – virtual, City of Atlanta Lunch & Learn
Saturday, Feb 15, 12:00PM – virtual, North Fulton Lunch & Learn
Tuesday, Feb 18, 12:00PM – in-person and virtual; Clayton Public Meeting 
Riverdale Town Center
7210 Church Street, Riverdale, GA
Wednesday, Feb 19, 12:00PM – virtual; Dekalb Lunch & Learn
Thursday, Feb 20, 12:00PM – in-person and virtual; City of Atlanta Public Meeting
MLK Recreation Center
110 Hillard Street Northeast, Atlanta, GA
Thursday, Feb 20, 12:00PM – virtual; City of Atlanta Lunch & Learn
Thursday, Feb 20, 6:00PM – in-person and virtual; Dekalb Public Meeting
East Central DeKalb Community and Senior Center
4885 Elam Road, Stone Mountain, GA
Friday, Feb 21, 12:00PM – virtual; South Fulton Lunch & Learn
Saturday, Feb 22, 10:00AM – in-person and virtual; MARTA NextGen Bus Network Open House
MARTA Headquarters
2424 Piedmont Road Northeast, Atlanta GA

Planned bus reroutes

MARTA’s latest planned bus reroutes.

Route 51 is rerouted immediately until further notice for CSX railroad repair.
Routes 3, 26, 50, 51, and 94 will be rerouted on Saturday, Feb 15 from 8:30am-11am for the Atlanta Mission 5K Race to End Homelessness.
Route 24 will be rerouted on Saturday, Feb 22 from 12:30pm-6:30pm for the Lanta Gras Festival.
Route 86 will be rerouted until August 7, 2025 due to construction on I-20.
Route 800 is rerouted immediately until further notice due to a service adjustment.
Route 66 is rerouted immediately until further notice due to construction.
Route 5 is rerouted until further notice due to a City of Sandy Springs road closure.
Route 49 is rerouted between 9am-3pm daily until further notice due to construction.
Routes 107, 136, and 813 are rerouted immediately until further notice due to Georgia Power construction.
Route 71 is rerouted until further notice due to the City of Atlanta Dept of Watershed Management.
Rolling bus stop closures exist on Route 55 due to MARTA Rapid Summerhill construction.

Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend!