MARTA buses back in service after winter weather; public input meetings begin
Ice, ice, baby – All MARTA services were disrupted again this week after Atlanta was hit with another round of snow dusting, which subsequently turned roads into a literal ice skating rinks. Bus and streetcar services were cancelled from Tuesday evening to Thursday morning, MARTA Mobility ran only essential medical trips, and rail ran on a weekend schedule with some additional interruptions. Someone crashed their car into the Buckhead Saloon; but judging from the video footage, it might not have even been weather related – the driver was flooring it.
Hopefully that’s the last of the winter weather service disruptions we’ll see this season.
Public input meetings for the proposed NextGen Bus Network draft begin this week. The opportunities to provide input will be both in-person and virtual. For the complete schedule of public meetings and to RSVP, please visit https://bit.ly/martanextgen.
Cornelius Taylor – Housing Justice League and community members held a vigil at Atlanta City Hall on Thursday to mourn Cornelius Taylor, the unhoused man killed during an encampment sweep last week. Housing Justice League wrote on Instagram that they “demanded an immediate moratorium on the sweeps of homeless encampments and urged the city to move towards a housing first policy approach.” The group of demonstrators also attempted to deliver a letter to Mayor Andre Dickens, but were allegedly blocked by police.
Faux-retro Beltline taco spot Muchacho allegedly fired several employees for not being able to drive to work on icy roads during a state of emergency, and is now facing flurries of one-star Google reviews (mostly already removed) and negative Instagram comments. Muchacho owner Michael Lennox is publicly against Beltline Rail (or at least was in March), a transportation method that, as writer Lindsay Thomaston pointed out, could possibly “alleviate… this exact situation.” Muchacho hasn’t made a statement on the situation yet.
BRT lane enforcement – MARTA wants to keep drivers out of bus-only lanes by equipping the buses with cameras, allowing drivers to be ticketed for violations. However, they need the state’s approval, and were unable to convince them last year. According to Axios Atlanta, 85% of the 2.5-mile Summerhill route is planned to run in a separate lane to bypass traffic.
MARTA ads sober up – MARTA’s advertising policy is changing, and now will not include ads for lawyers, alcohol, massage parlors, or pawn shops. The advertising will instead shift to commercial advertising, transit advocacy and community, health and education campaigns. Say goodbye to the days of the Crown Royal train, Pepto-Bismol-pink 411-PAIN buses, and that one shirtless guy. The guy who was also sometimes an astronaut. I don’t know. He was a lawyer.
It’s a short newsletter for a long week. Have a safe, comfy, and warmer weekend. :)
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