Transit

Mayor Delivers Second State of the City Address – Establishes Department of Transportation, Affordable Housing Initiatives, More

Derek Prall 03/14/2019

Image via City of Atlanta.

During her second State of the City address this morning, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced the city will create a Department of Transportation, establish 20,000 units of affordable housing and create the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Commission.

Currently, transportation work in Atlanta is performed by the Department of Public Works, which repairs Atlanta’s roads; the Department of City Planning, which determines how the city’s thoroughfares could be improved; and Renew Atlanta/TSPLOST, which makes investments for Atlanta’s long-term transportation future, according to city materials.

“I am proud to announce plans to create Atlanta’s first dedicated Department of Transportation, a one-stop shop to better deliver for our city’s mobility future,” Bottoms said in a statement, adding, “All of these departments do a good job, but to do a great job they need to operate from the same playbook.”

The new Department of Transportation will break down organizational silos and create a unified department with the sole mission of creating better transportation options in Atlanta, city materials indicate. The new department will streamline operations, and prioritize improving mobility.

Bottoms also committed to producing and preserving 20,000 units of affordable housing across the city by 2026, according to city materials.

“In our first year in office, we have already invested $100 million in public funds to create thousands of units of affordable housing,” Bottoms said in a statement. “This new goal will motivate us to accelerate our efforts to build One Atlanta by truly and tangibly creating an affordable, resilient and equitable city.”

Finally, Bottoms said she will establish the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Commission, a group tasked with exploring ways to create appropriate ways to remember the victims of the Atlanta Child Murders, according to city materials.

From 1979 to 1981, at least 28 children, adolescents, and adults were killed, according to the FBI. Wayne Williams was arrested for and convicted of two of the murders and linked to 20 more.

“The pain from these crimes never goes away, but by acknowledging their lives in a permanent setting, we pay tribute to them now, and for generations to come,” Bottoms said in a statement.

To read the mayor’s full State of the City address, click here.

Transit

Major MARTA Delays this Morning Caused by Man Jumping on Tracks at Lindbergh Station

Derek Prall 03/14/2019

Image via Wikipedia.

Transit commuters experienced significant delays this morning when a man jumped in front of a southbound train at Lindbergh Station around 7:30 a.m.

The incident is still under investigation, but Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) spokesperson Stephany Fisher told Atlanta Loop it does not appear the individual was struck by the train. He did, however, suffer a minor head injury.

MARTA Police and EMS responded to the scene, but the man was able to walk by himself to the ambulance where he was transported to the hospital, Fisher said. Motive has not been established, and officials won’t speculate on why the man ended up on the tracks.

Due to the service interruption the incident caused, large crowds and confusion grew at the Lindberg station and others nearby, the AJC reports. The tracks were cleared around 8:30 a.m., and full service was restored by 9 a.m., according to MARTA communications. During the delay, a bus bridge was established.

“We want to thank our customers for their patience and compassion as we handled this incident,” Fisher said.

Transit

MARTA Seeks New Bus Operators

Derek Prall 03/01/2019

Image via MARTA.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) will be holding a job fair tomorrow – Saturday, March 2 – to hire new bus operators.

Applicants must be 21 years of age or older, and should bring with them a valid driver’s license, a social security card and a seven-year motor vehicle record, MARTA materials indicate. Applicants must also hold a high school degree, a GED or accreditation from an institution of higher learning.

MARTA seeks both full- and part-time bus operators. Pay starts at $16.38 per hour with a top rate of $23.17, according to MARTA materials. Perks include benefits, paid training and unlimited use of Breeze passes.

The job fair will begin tomorrow at 9 a.m. and run until 1 p.m. Applicants should expect to stay at least three and a half hours to complete interviews and testing, according to MARTA materials. The fair will be located at MARTA headquarters: 2424 Piedmont Road, Atlanta, Ga., 30324.

Crime and Public Safety/ Transit

Former MARTA Administrator Sentenced in Fraud Scheme

Derek Prall 02/27/2019

Image via MARTA.

Jhonnita Williams, a former department administrator at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), was recently sentenced for her involvement in a false-invoice scheme that resulted in the transit authority paying out more than $520,000 for non-existent maintenance projects – funds that were then cycled back to her and a partner.

In November, Williams, 48, pled guilty to one-count of conspiratorial federal program theft, according to Justice Department materials. Late this month, Williams was sentenced to 16 months in prison, three years of supervised release and must pay $522,825.45 in restitution.

“Williams sold the public’s trust for self-enrichment when she chose to participate in a half-of-a-million-dollar theft of MARTA funds,” U.S. Attorney Byung Pak said in a statement. “Her sentence sends a clear message to others who may choose to misuse taxpayer dollars that they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Williams worked for MARTA from 1999 to 2017, according to justice department materials. From 2010 to 2017, she worked as an assistant and department administrator for Joseph Erves. During most of the conspiracy, Erves served as MARTA’s senior director of operations and oversaw the maintenance of all the department’s buses and trains.

From June 2010 to December 2016, Williams and Erves both prepared more than 40 fake invoices using three vendors maintenance projects, according to Justice Department materials. After being paid, those vendors funneled most of the funds they received back to Erves and Williams. In total, the transit agency paid more than $520,000 for projects where no work was ever done.

“The sentencing of Ms. Jhonnita Williams concludes a coordinated investigation with our federal law enforcement partners, and we are satisfied with the results,” MARTA Police Chief Wanda Dunham said in a statement. “This sentencing will send a clear message to any MARTA employee who thinks they are above the law and would act to erode the trust the public has given us.”

Transit

Lyft Offering Discounted Rides to African American Museums, Memorials and Cultural Sites to Celebrate Black History Month

Derek Prall 02/13/2019

Image via the National Parks Service.

To celebrate Black History Month, Lyft is offering discounted fares to African American museums, memorials, significant culture sites and select black-owned businesses in cities across the country.

In Atlanta, riders can use the promotional code BHMATL19 anytime in February for one free ride up to $10 to the following locations:

“As local riders look for ways to learn more about the many contributions Black culture has made to American history, Lyft is using its platform to bring greater understanding, connection, and support to our very own diverse community,” a Lyft Spokesperson told Atlanta Loop. “With 73 percent of our drivers in our area identifying with a minority group, we see the importance of celebrating the diversity that we have right around us.”

To learn more about the program, click here.

Transit

Grady High School Students Rallying for Safer Streets

Derek Prall 02/11/2019

The intersection where Alexia Hyneman was killed.

Grady High School will hold a “Rally 4 Safe Streets” tomorrow on the third anniversary of the fatal crash that took the life of Alexia Hyneman. The student was struck by a car while biking across the nearby intersection of 10^th Street and Monroe Drive.

The rally is organized by the Grady Pedestrian Safety Coalition, a student-led group that advocates for making streets near schools safer – starting with Monroe Drive. According to program materials, the Renew Atlanta Complete Streets projects were slated to address dangerous conditions, but little progress has been made to date.

The program will include speakers from the coalition, remarks from Hyneman’s father, and an address from Councilmember Jennifer Ide, who will outline the steps the council is taking to make Monroe Drive safer, according to program materials. The coalition will also make clear the next steps community members can take to advocate for safer streets, and will conclude with a memorial for Hyenman.

The rally will be held Tuesday, Feb. 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Grady High School Auditorium.

Transit

Super Bowl Weekend was MARTA’s Busiest in Decades

Derek Prall 02/05/2019

Image courtesy of MARTA.

The Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) moved over half a million customers during the three-day Super Bowl weekend.

Saturday was MARTA’s busiest travel day in decades, with an estimated 270,000 rail riders, according to MARTA materials. This is more than double the number seen on a typical Saturday.

For the most part, trains ran a 24-hour-a-day schedule for 3 straight days without any problems or interruptions. David Springstead, MARTA’s chief of rail operations said in a statement this shows the preparedness of the transit authority as well as the commitment of its employees.

“We had two minor issues, one involving a trespasser near the tracks and another caused by a small fire on adjacent CSX property, where we implemented our contingency plans and minimized the service impact to our customers,” Springstead said in a statement. “On Sunday, the MARTA team worked quickly and efficiently to clear large crowds within 90 minutes of the end of the game.”

On the day of the Super Bowl, 155,000 customers took to the rail lines to enjoy the numerous activities downtown and see the game. According to MARTA materials, riders were greeted by more than 600 transit ambassadors working the authority’s 38 rail stations. These re-deployed administrative employees worked over a combined total of 3,000 hours during the ten-day operational period to help residents and visitors alike enjoy the celebration.

“I am proud of how Team MARTA handled these record crowds,” Jeffery Parker, MARTA’s general manager and CEO said in a statement. “We set a new standard in service this weekend and we want to maintain that as we move forward as an organization.”

Transit

MARTA Drivers Stage Sick-Out, Leadership Files Injunction

Derek Prall 01/28/2019

Image via Wikipedia.

In part of an apparently labor dispute, approximately 80 transit union employees staged a sick-out this morning impacting MARTA bus service. This prompted the transit authority to file a court injunction to end the slow-down

The injunction seeks to end the sick out and demanded that union leadership disavow certain member’s actions by demand they return to work, according to MARTA materials.

This comes on the heels of an all-day collective bargaining session that concluded late Saturday night which resulted in a signed agreement between MARTA and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 732 leadership over wages, benefits, and parity pay adjustments for bus and rail operators, MARTA materials indicate.

Union leadership, it seems, does not condone the actions of the members who called out sick today. In a Dec. 27 letter to union members, obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the ATU encouraged members to remain on the job and to “continue to provide the quality service that has earned us the respect of not only the community and MARTA management but every person who encounters a MARTA employee.” It appears today’s sick-out was organized by members who did not take that advice.

“I am deeply disappointed in the actions of some ATU Local 732 members,” said MARTA’s General Manager and CEO Jeff Parker. “MARTA put a deal on the table that I believe is the best arrangement this union has ever received. After months of negotiations and finally coming to a wage agreement, ATU has caused a significant disruption to MARTA’s bus service today.”

The agreement would give MARTA’s union employees a pay raise of 3 percent per year for three years, and an additional $0.25 per hour longevity premium to all employees with more than 20 years of service, according to MARTA materials. The deal would also put into place a parity pay adjustment of $0.50 per hour for all bus and rail operators and a $1.00 per hour increase for skilled technicians.

It’s unclear if the sick outs will continue, but MARTA leadership told the AJC they do not expect MARTA service to be disrupted during the Super Bowl.

Transit

Super Bowl-Related Road Closures Start Monday, Jan. 21

Derek Prall 01/18/2019

Image via the city’s Super Bowl website.

Although the big game is still a few weeks away, Super Bowl-related road closures in the city will begin on Monday, Jan. 21. and will continue through Friday, Feb. 8

According to city materials, the imminent closures include:

Monday, January 21 through Friday, February 8

Baker St. NW will be closed between Centennial Olympic Park Dr. NW and Luckie St. NW.

Monday, January 21 through Thursday, February 7

Mitchell St. SW will be closed between MLK Jr. Dr. SW (South) to Elliot St SW.
Mangum St. will be closed between Markham St to Foundry St.
MLK Jr. Dr. SW (South) will be closed between Northside Dr. NW to Centennial Olympic Park Dr NW

Wednesday, January 23 through Thursday, February 7

Andrew Young International Blvd. NW will be closed between Marietta St. NW and Centennial Olympic Park Dr. NW.

Additional road closures will go into effect as the event draws closer. More information can be found here.

“We encourage the use of MARTA and ride share companies to reduce traffic in the affected areas,” Sgt. John Chafee of the Atlanta Police Department’s Public Affairs unit said in a statement. “Please plan ahead and give yourself more time to reach destinations around these areas.”