Transit

City Passes Regulations for Electric Scooters

Derek Prall 01/09/2019

Bird scooters. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Earlier this week the city passed new rules regulating scooter use.

Bird, Lime, Jump and other electronic electric scooters that are scattered throughout the city will now be banned on sidewalks, according to the ordinance passed Monday. The scooters will now only be allowed on streets, bike lanes and shared-use paths.

Additionally, companies will be required to pay a $12,000 annual fee for a 500-scooter fleet, with an additional $50 paid per additional scooter, according to the ordinance. A 15 mile-per-hour speed limit will be enforced, and companies will be responsible for educating riders on proper parking, operations and helmet usage.

Companies operating scooters will also need to have a plan for sustainability measures when disposing of broken down scooters, the ordinance indicates.

The new rules focus mainly on the companies that operate the fleets, placing the responsibility for safe riding habits on them, rather than riders themselves according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. There are no fines for riders who ignore the recommendations.

To develop the ordinance, Atlanta took into consideration similar measures passed in Seattle, Chicago and San Francisco, the AJC reports. Since hitting city streets in the spring and summer of last year, the dockless scooters have been lauded and lambasted. Some say they cut down on traffic by providing more mobility options, others argue they restrict access to businesses by crowding sidewalks and are a nuance to pedestrians.

Not everyone is convinced the new regulations will help scooter-pedestrian relations. Rebecca Serna, executive director of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, said scooter riders will continue to use sidewalks because the city streets are in such a state of ill repair, and aren’t welcoming to any vehicles besides cars. “They are going to do it on the sidewalks as long as they don’t feel safe in the streets,” she told the AJC.

Transit

The ATL Hits the Road

Derek Prall 12/19/2018

The ATL’s logo. Image via The Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority.

Atlanta’s new regional transit agency is up and running.

Created last summer by Gov. Nathan Deal, The ATL, or the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority, held is inaugural meeting late last week to discuss the future of transit in the city and its surrounding areas.

“The ATL was created as a new regional governance and funding structure, to improve coordination, integration and efficiency of transit in metro Atlanta.” According to ATL materials. “A regional transit plan encompassing all transit projects and initiatives will be developed, containing access to new funding sources for activities within it.”

The ATL’s 16-member board – which includes Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms – is comprised of six members appointed by state officials with the remaining members elected by local delegations to represent 10 transit districts across a 13-county region according to ATL materials. Board members are a mix of local business leaders and elected officials who will take a renewed look at transit planning and funding to improve the coordination of existing transit agencies and their efficiencies throughout the region.

At the inaugural meeting, the board assessed and approved bylaws, communications protocols, it’s board meeting calendar and a logo and brand.

“The Board is committed to being inclusive and wants to collaborate with our regional partners and transit riders,” Charlie Sutlive, ATL Board Chair, said in a statement. “The newly adopted ATL logo was created with a variety of stakeholder input, including qualitative and quantitative research, and a full creative process.”

According to ATL materials, that research included surveying a diverse group of 500 transit riders across the 13 counties the authority represents.

The next meeting of the ATL’s board of directors is scheduled for Jan. 24, 2019.

Transit

MARTA Approves Clayton County Transit Expansion

Derek Prall 12/10/2018

A MARTA train. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Last week the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) board of directors approved a two-fold locally preferred alternative (LPA) for the Clayton County Transit Initiative. The approval demonstrates to the federal government that MARTA has identified a specific set of projects to move forward.

The first recommendation is to begin environmental study on a commuter rail on the 22-mile Norfolk Southern corridor from the East Point MARTA Station to Lovejoy, according to MARTA materials. The second is for environmental study on the implementation of bus rapid transit to connect College Park, Riverdale and Morrow.

The railway’s construction could launch as early as 2023 and wrap up by 2027, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Both routes connect communities with schools, hospitals and job opportunities, according to MARTA – particularly areas of expected employment and population growth in Clayton County.

“Since first expanding to Clayton County three years ago, MARTA service has changed the lives of thousands of residents,” former State Rep. Roberta Abdul-Salaam who now serves as secretary of the MARTA board of directors, said in a statement. “This continued expansion shows a strong commitment to community and economic development for one of metro Atlanta’s fastest growing areas.”

Decaturish/ Transit

MARTA Police Prepare for Super Bowl, Will Hold Region’s Largest Emergency Preparedness Exercise

Derek Prall 10/23/2018

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A MARTA train. Image via itsmarta.com

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Police Department is planning for the worst this weekend.

On Saturday, Oct. 27, the department will be hosting the region’s largest emergency preparedness exercise from 10:30 p.m. to 4 a.m., according to program materials. The full-scale event, which will take place at MARTA’s Dome station near Mercedes Benz Stadium, will involve theatrical explosions, smoke and actors to create a realistic scenario for first responders practicing how to handle a terrorist attack during the upcoming Super Bowl.

“Our planning process for the Super Bowl started several years ago,” MARTA Police Chief Wanda Dunham said in a statement. “We have held numerous table-top exercises, but this full-scale exercise will showcase our capabilities and assist us in identifying any gaps.”

Program materials state the exercise will create minor disruptions to MARTA services. Beginning at 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 27, some service along the east and westbound Green and Blue rail service lines will be interrupted. A bus bridge to bypass Dome Station and the exercise will be made available, however. Riders utilizing the bus bridge will be directed to exit at Vine City Station or Five Points Station and get on the bus which will take them to the next available station.

“MARTA is one of the safest transit systems in the country because of training exercises such as this one,” MARTA General Manager and CEO Jeffrey Parker said in a statement. “We appreciate the patience of our customers as we conduct this valuable exercise in preparation for the world’s largest sporting event.”

MARTA officials also warn that individuals living within a five-mile radius of the Dome Station may hear loud noises and see heavy police activity in the area on Saturday night, according to program materials. They are reaching out to local businesses and residents about the exercise to minimize confusion and reduce alarm.

Decaturish/ Transit

MARTA Board Unanimously Approves Expansion

Derek Prall 10/04/2018

A MARTA train. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority’s (MARTA) Board of Directors today unanimously approved the More MARTA program – the region’s largest investment in transit in more than 40 years.

“In Atlanta in the 21st century, transit is the lifeblood of opportunity,” Board Chairman Robert Ashe said in a statement. “It is how millions of Atlantans access jobs, school, health care, and move throughout their communities. Today, we together took an important step in building the Atlanta we want for decades to come.”

The program will be partially funded by the $2.7 billion generated by a half-penny sales tax approved by voters in 2016, according to city materials. Additional public and private funding will be sought for certain aspects of the program.

“Think of this as a major and transformational down payment on our future commitment to the city and to the region,” MARTA General Manager and CEO Jeffrey Parker said in a statement. “This is an important milestone, but it’s not the finish line.”

The next steps will include developing costs and schedules associated with individual projects as well as looking into ways of securing additional funding, according to city materials. MARTA says it will also work to educate riders on various programs in the months ahead.

“Today, MARTA and the City of Atlanta made an historic commitment to public transportation and to the future of our community. The entire region is one step closer to a smart, sustainable and efficient transit network that connects communities as never before,” Emory University President Claire Sterk said in a statement. “Emory University and Emory Healthcare look forward to joining with businesses, government entities, and others who recognize the importance of this public transit opportunity and are committed to work in broad partnership to make it a reality.”

Decaturish/ Transit/ WABE

MARTA Shares New Vision For Transit Expansion Around Atlanta

Atlanta Loop 10/02/2018

MARTA’s latest list of expansion projects included nearly a half a billion dollars for light rail around parts of the BeltLine. Credit Alison Guillory / WABE

BY STEPHANNIE STOKES, WABE

MARTA gave a clearer idea of how it might expand around Atlanta on Thursday, and supporters of two big transit projects are celebrating.

The transit agency’s latest list of expansion projects included nearly a half a billion dollars for light rail around parts of the BeltLine.

That’s $200 million more than MARTA originally proposed, which encouraged Lauren Welsh of the urbanist advocacy group Thread ATL.

MARTA’s board will vote on the transit expansion plan on Oct. 4.

“This does not include the full BeltLine loop,” Welsh said. “But this is more than was presented in the initial project list. So in my mind, that’s really a success.”

The new emphasis on the BeltLine does mean less money for another big project: light rail to Emory University, a route known as the Clifton Corridor.

Still, Betty Willis, senior associate vice president for government and community affairs at Emory University, which supported the project, said she wasn’t discouraged.

“There are so many great projects out there, and there’s just so little funding,” Willis said.

She said Emory University and other companies in the area will now work to supplement MARTA’s funding. In a letter to Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the transit agency said it will also be seeking private support to complete the full 22-mile BeltLine loop.

MARTA is receiving $2.5 billion from a citywide transit expansion sales tax, which Atlanta voters approved in 2016.

The agency’s board will vote on the expansion plan on Oct. 4. There will be no timeline for completing the projects as part of that vote.

Decaturish/ Transit

Light Rail Could Alleviate Congestion in Clifton Corridor

Atlanta Loop 09/13/2018

The Clifton Corridor Proposal. Image via MARTA.

By Matthew Pharr, contributor

The U.S. Census says Metro Atlanta’s population is estimated to be approximately 5.9 million with thousands of new transplants arriving every day. Among the most congested areas of the city is the Clifton Corridor, an economic, educational and healthcare hub that includes Emory University, Centers for Disease Control, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, but lacks direct access to public transit or I-85. MARTA wants to fix that.

Atlanta’s main transit agency is proposing a light rail system to help alleviate some of the traffic congestion woes in this area of the city. According to a press release, the Clifton Corridor Initiative would link MARTA’s Red/Gold and Blue lines, connecting Lindbergh Station to Avondale Station, with a proposed five new stations in between, at an estimated cost of $1.8-$2.1 billion.

Additionally, the MARTA release says that Atlanta will experience “Reduced Congestion & Pollution” with “23,300 riders per day taking cars off the street in America’s 4th most congested city.”

Public opinion is overwhelmingly in favor of the light rail initiative, according to a MARTA survey. When asked to select their top three [MARTA] priority projects 51.3 percent of respondents said the Clifton Corridor Light Rail should be the top priority followed by the Beltline Northeast Light Rail Transit at 50.85 percent and the Beltline Southwest Light Rail Transit polling at 37.02 percent.

MARTA last updated the status of the project on June 7, 2018. It states that they are finishing their environmental impact statement, which, if cleared, could make the initiative eligible for federal funding. MARTA is also in the process of developing phases of construction, contingent on the “potential availability of local funding sources.” MARTA’s timeline indicated that construction of the light rail system will commence in 2022, with full operation (including integrated bus service) of the system by 2026.

“Atlantans recognize that the Clifton Corridor is a priority for this city, connecting all residents to a thriving economic, educational and healthcare hub,” Betty Willis, an Emory senior associate vice president and government and community affairs official said in a statement. “Serving 40,000 employees, 15,000 students and over 2 million patient visits per year, it’s little wonder this light rail line has the highest projected ridership of any More MARTA project. Moreover, based on existing jobs in the corridor and overall readiness of the project, the Clifton Corridor is well positioned to compete against other projects nationally for federal funding, and is on track to be the first step in making Atlanta’s dream of an integrated transit network a reality.”

Metro ATL/ Transit

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International’s New General Manager Named

Derek Prall 09/12/2018

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International has a new General Manager. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced yesterday John Selden will take control of the world’s busiest airport.

Selden comes from John F. Kennedy International in New York, N.Y., and brings with him years of experience managing large international Airports. J.F.K is the sixth busiest airport in the nation, and generates 1.1 billion in annual revenue, according to city materials.

A former Navy pilot, Selden served at the Pentagon and in Puerto Rico. After he left the service, he took his first management role at Republic Airport in New York. He joined the team at JFK in 2008 and was appointed to Deputy General Manager in 2014, the city shares. His appointment will become effective Oct. 1 and will require confirmation by the City Council.

“Hartsfield-Jackson is without question one of our city and state’s most valuable assets, with an annual economic impact of nearly $35 billion for metro Atlanta,” Bottoms said in a statement. “It has allowed our city to become a gateway to the world and it serves as a critical cargo hub for North America. I am excited that we have identified someone with the qualifications and passion of John Selden to lead our airport into the future.”

Decaturish/ Transit

Gwinnett MARTA Expansion Now in Voters’ Hands

Atlanta Loop 09/11/2018

A MARTA Train. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

By Matthew Pharr, contributor

In a unanimous vote cast Sept. 6, the Metro Atlanta Transit Authority (MARTA) Board of Directors approved a contract to extend bus and rail service into Gwinnett County.

The proposal would extend the heavy-rail line along the I-85 corridor from the Doraville Station to Gwinnett Place Mall, as well as increasing local bus routes and bus rapid transit, a transit system that often requires widening streets for bus-only lanes, according to a media release.

Newly elected MARTA CEO, Jeffery A. Parker, tweeted the expansion announcement to his page, saying “MARTA Board of Directors unanimously approves contract to extend transit service to Gwinnett County; voters will decide in March 2019 countywide ballot referendum.” Most replies to Parker’s message has been critical.

However, officials are more optimistic. “I am excited about the vote made by the board today and what the contract between MARTA and Gwinnett County will mean to the people of Gwinnett and across the region,” Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Charlotte Nash said in a statement.

In the past, Gwinnett voters have been overwhelmingly opposed to MARTA’s expansion, however, the racial and political demographics of the county have changed significantly since the last expansion vote in 1990. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the total population of Gwinnett County in 1990 was 352,910. It is now approaching 1 million residents and is far more ethnically diverse.

On March 19, 2019, these voters will be able to decide the fate of the MARTA expansion when they head to the polls. If the measure is approved, a one-percent sales tax would be collected in Gwinnett County to fund transit operations, expenses and the expansion through 2057, according to press materials. MARTA Projections show the sales tax would raise approximately $170 million per year or $5 billion during that period.