Kotak said the project list ultimately came, down to what MARTA and the community thought was most feasible in terms of increasing ridership, spending the money well, pulling down federal funds, and a lot of equity and environmental concerns., This effort will be key in creating a more comfortable rider experience, says Height. You can watch here: https://bit.ly/MARTAPublicStream, To contact MARTA directly with feedback, email: townhall@ItsMARTA.com, Your email address will not be published. The June 13 board approval sets in motion a four-decade expansion program that will continue to evolve to best meet the needs of the community and leverage opportunities in new technologies, innovative partnerships, real estate and transit-oriented development as they present themselves, that can provide increased mobility, accessibility and reliability for transit users. The program was first approved in 2016, when 71% of Atlanta voters cast their ballots in support of an additional half-penny sales tax to support expansion and improvements in the City. It. Thats a lot of where the pushback is coming from, said Sumlin. Atlanta transit riders arent thrilled with scaled-down More MARTA projects | Fulton Watch, City stepping up code enforcement actions against problem landlords through new Safe and Secure Housing plan, No Labels Georgia chapter says its not interested in fielding a third party presidential candidate, Atlanta transit riders arent thrilled with scaled-down More MARTA projects, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Atlanta transit riders aren't thrilled with scaled-down More MARTA projects. . The council says the audit is simply good governance and that it wasn't . It was MARTA leaderships expectation that after the recent City-requested resequencing exercise, we would focus on delivery of the program. Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says a bullet hit family home, 24-year-old dies in crash on I-75 in Atlanta, House fire in Johns Creek displaces family, Can police intentionally shoot hostages? We dont need to look at transit as, Oh, this vehicle needs to be a train. We need to look at it as, Okay, this is a service that runs every 15 minutes or less, and this is wonderful for our community. He says the bus network redesign is a chance to start thinking holistically about transit service, rather than the type of vehicle. The audit would be overseen and paid for by the city governments Department of Finance. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Our mission is to serve civic-minded Atlantans the best in journalism and other resources to help foster a better connected and informed community. A multi-faceted reference that lets you explore transit service, ridership trends, and demographic data in American regions. BUS OPERATIONS JOB FAIR APR. Are you a transit agency practitioner? Required fields are marked *. After what transit agency management has called a resequencing process, More MARTA is down to nine new projects from the original 17, and it is more bus-centric than the prior project list, which called for 26 miles of light rail, along with new rapid bus lines, new streetcar extensions, and new stations. All Rights Reserved. font-size: 25px; The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Board of Directors unanimously approved the sequencing of the transit projects in the More MARTA Atlanta program on June 13. 2023 Hyperlocal News and Information for Metro Atlanta. MARTA is your direct route for all flights in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Stay tuned to this page and email us at We work to change the way transit is governed, planned, and operated across the country. City Council members have raised questions for months about transparency from MARTA on the spending of More MARTA money and how it prioritizes projects. Height says theres wide variation in bus stop quality. Given the resources at hand thanks to More MARTA, the slow pace of capital expansion projects, and the imperative to rebuild confidence in the transit system after the pandemic, increasing the budget for bus service in tandem with the network redesign looks like the surest path to give riders significant improvements while the 2016 referendum is still fresh in voters minds. Finally, $200 million has been set aside for rail station improvements and $237 million to upgrade the bus system. Tier II projects will be initiated at a later date as additional funding from the tax is available. Federal funding for transit projects like the BeltLine, Clifton Corridor, and Campbellton Road have the opportunity to successfully compete for federal funds from the Federal Transit Administration, creating the potential to bring some of our federal tax dollars back to Atlanta. font-size: 30px; BUS OPERATIONS JOB FAIR MARCH 30, MARTA PARTNERS WITH GOODR TO BRING FRESH FOOD TO AREAS OF FOOD INSECURITY IN CLAYTON COUNTY, Statement on City Council "Audit" of More MARTA Program, MARTA, TRANSIT PARTNERS HOST TRANSIT DAY AT STATE CAPITOL, MARTA DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR H.E. No, it does not, said Stephany Fisher, spokesperson for MARTA, in an email. The latest news and developments from the transit world. Hes also an award-winning poet and novelist. Complexity shuts you out, ACC opens the door for you. Since 2020, MARTA has been advancing the projects in accordance with the prioritization in the sequencing plan. The Emory area became eligible for More MARTA Atlanta funding when it was annexed by the city of Atlanta at the beginning of this year. A hefty $553 million has been earmarked to extend downtowns Atlanta Streetcar footprint by five miles on either side to connect with the BeltLines Westside and Eastside trails. Improvements at the station include replacement of pavers on the plaza, pressure washing, repairs to light fixtures, sign replacement, paint touch-up, and landscaping. As far as the More MARTA plan goes, there hasnt really been much that we can actually see. Although MARTA boosted bus service frequency after the referendum in 2017, many of the routes have since been cut as a result of the pandemic. 27, MARTACONNECT AVAILABLE TO BUS ROUTE 183 CUSTOMERS IMPACTED BY SERVICE SUSPENSION, MARTA MARKS EARTH DAY WITH ONGOING COMMITMENT TO SYSTEMWIDE SUSTAINABILITY, TRIP GIVEAWAY, MARTA POLICE IS HIRING! More MARTA is a program set to span 40 years and a variety of projects to expand the public transportation system in Atlanta. Since the fall of 2019, MARTA has conducted an in-depth analysis of the corridor and outreach to the . March 22, 2023 townhall@itsmarta.com. MARTA attained the Silver level of recognition for its sustainability efforts. "In Atlanta in the 21st century, transit is the lifeblood of opportunity," said Board . Here are the various ways to get in touch. More MARTA is a transit improvement partnership between MARTA and the City of Atlanta that is designing and building transit projects to address the current and future transportation needs of Atlantans by increasing accessibility, mobility, and connectivity. 13 MARTA HOSTS PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR BANKHEAD STATION MASTER PLAN CONGRESSWOMAN NIKEMA WILLIAMS TO HONOR MARTA BUS OPERATOR COY DUMAS, JR. FOR 50 YEARS OF SERVICE MARTA IS HIRING! Learn More Take MARTA to the Atlanta Jazz Festival at Piedmont Park May 27 - 29, 2023 Exit at Midtown Station Learn more MARTA MARTA, DEKALB COUNTY ADVANCE KENSINGTON TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT WITH REZONING APPROVAL MARTA CELEBRATES IMPROVEMENTS AT COLLEGE PARK STATION Future plans for the Main Street revamp at Uptown Atlanta call for connections to forthcoming portions of the BeltLine and South Fork trails, several community gathering spaces for events, and a large park. Questions and comments? The citys first official Bus Rapid Transit project the Capitol Hill/Summerhill BRT is slated to open in 2025. Our agenda-setting research gets to the heart of what matters to transit riders. The council unanimously requested an audit of the More MARTA Atlanta transit expansion program. The More MARTA Atlanta program is aligned with the Atlanta Transportation Plan and the Citys efforts to build upon a layered, integrated, regional transportation network. Another nearly $300 million will build various bus rapid transit projects, including one from the Summerhill neighborhood to downtown Atlanta. Questions and comments? We do a lot to engage the public. We are adding approximately 200 new shelters and amenities at our bus stops each year. A new MARTA rail car as unveiled in a December 2022 event. Placing this audit in the citys hands guarantees that we can find an independent third party to review the numbers. On Monday, Atlanta City Council passed a resolution urging MARTA to comply with a complete financial audit of More MARTA Atlanta program, the $2.7 billion expansion partially funded by a half . A little of everything, according to Carrie Rocha, who became MARTAs interim chief capital officer in February. More MARTA Atlanta -Background Program approved by voters in 2016 by an overwhelming majority of 71%. MARTA is dedicated to being here for those needing essential travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Copyright 2023 WANF. @media screen and (min-width:1200px) { }. Other rapid bus lines on the initial to-do list include Cleveland Avenue, Metropolitan Avenue, the Campbellton Corridor, and the Clifton Corridor, which are now in design stages. MARTAsecured a $2.6M grant for the purchase of 6 New Flyer Xcelsior battery-electric buses that will reduce fleet emissions. Meet the dynamic staff working to change transit in American cities. The Atlanta BeltLine was always envisioned as a transportation corridor, a plan validated by Atlanta voters in 2016, said Clyde Higgs, President and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. The adoption of the More MARTA phasing today is a start towards fulfilling the promise of transportation options to some of the largest hubs for economic and workforce development along the BeltLine." Ridership is still down about a million monthly riders compared to pre-pandemic numbers. Height says theres wide variation in bus stop quality. To advocate and provide safe, multi-modal transit services that advance prosperity, connectivity and equity for a more livable region. Tejas Kotak, transit chair of the Georgia Sierra Club, believes that MARTA is on an upward trajectory overall. Blue/Green lines operate on special 20-minute schedules. The south bus loop has reopened at Edgewood-Candler Park Station. The project is only 2.5 miles in length, but will provide a proof of concept for the rest of the BRT projects planned around the city. More MARTA Atlanta is the city of Atlanta's largest transit investment in four decades. A list of 73 projects was narrowed to 17 priority Much of this work isnt visible to the public, but were making significant progress.. NYC Edition. The More MARTA program will inject $2.7 billion into the transit agency, helping reduce travel times, reach underserved areas, and bring the Atlanta BeltLine, Emory University and the Atlanta University Center into the transit network. The More MARTA Atlanta program is aligned with the Atlanta Transportation Plan and the . MARTA Heroes are working every day to keep Atlanta moving safely. font-size: 95px; It includes light rail transit (LRT), bus rapid transit (BRT), and arterial rapid transit (ART) systems, as well as new transit centers, local bus service, and various station upgrades. The two met at MARTA's Lindbergh Station, along with Stephens' mother, Lisa, to talk about trains and to listen to some of Immanuel's work. But others arent standing still. In determining the sequence of the projects, MARTA considered market conditions, constructability and current funding commitments. Despite the massive declines in fare revenue wrought by the pandemic, MARTA CEO Jeffrey Parker told Atlanta Magazine in February that federal transit relief funding has put the agency in good financial shape until at least 2024, and that the More MARTA program can proceed as planned. There may be some truth to that, but its a lot of word soup. An expansion of the streetcar line has always been seen as necessary to vault it from its current function as tourist shuttle to a vital commuter option. The More MARTA local sales tax is anticipated to provide about $2.7 billion in local dollars over the 40-year life of the tax. MARTA intends the redesign to be budget neutral, meaning it doesnt plan to add additional bus service as part of the initiative. Apply for the Job in Automotive Technician - MARTA Mobility at Atlanta, GA. View the job description, responsibilities and qualifications for this position. With our focus now on the projects instead of the types of transit, we are ready to begin implementing the plan for enhanced service.. So many of the projects have long timelines due to a mix of sales tax funds that come in slowly and the fact that these are expensive projects, says Kotak. If successful, MARTA will be able to use these federal dollars to grow the amount of money available for these projects. 36 North Decatur Road / Virginia Highland, Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) Program, MARTA's Transportation Assistance Program for the Homeless, Cleveland Ave & Metropolitan Parkway Arterial Rapid Transit (ART), Campbellton Community Investment Corridor BRT. Since 2020, MARTA has been advancing the projects in accordance with the prioritization in the sequencing plan. Tier I are projects that will be delivered in a first phase. below for recordings of the April 19 and 20 meetings, as well as links to the The mood was meh at All Saints Episcopal Church in Midtown on Thursday eveningone of three public meetings that the Atlanta transit agency convened in April to discuss More MARTAs revised project list. ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The Atlanta City Council has called for the first-ever audit of the More MARTA program. More MARTA is a large transit expansion program within Atlanta supported by a 0.5 percent sales tax approved by voters in 2016. The digital home of Reporter Newspapers and Atlanta Intown. 3:00 pm. h4 { Link to information about and archived livestream of past events. The Atlanta City Council on Monday approved a financial audit of a MARTA program that was funded by a 2016 half-penny sales tax. Sun, 4/23: All lines operate on special 20-minute schedules. Apr 21, 2023 Updated Apr 21, 2023 (The Center Square) As the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority advances its More MARTA Atlanta Program, the agency's position is bolstered by what. We will have more and better transit options to get to job centers, colleges and universities, hospitals, parks and neighborhoods across Atlanta. RIDER ALERT: Bus Service Changes Effective April 22: Select routes will have increased weekday service. The most immediate improvements for Atlanta transit Atlantans can potentially look forward to a new bus network as soon as 2022. The More MARTA Atlanta program is funded by a 2016 half-penny local sales tax. MARTA, CITY OF ATLANTA HOST PUBLIC UPDATES ON MORE MARTA ATLANTA PROGRAM. Are these public dollars being spent as the public intended them to be spent, questioned Atlanta City Councilmember Amir Farokhi. MARTA has until the next meeting of the councils transportation committee on March 29 to respond. MARTA and the City of Atlanta jointly In Georgia, yes, Sign up for Atlanta News First Newsletters. MARTA has also spent $20 million on new buses, and has made major investments in upgrading transit center facilities in Clayton and Dekalb Counties, which border the city of Atlanta. Sometimes its funding issues. The audits scope will include all revenues and expenditures associated with the More MARTA Atlanta program. Kotak thinks that transit advocacy in Atlanta hasnt always been well coordinated, and getting different factions on the same page will be key to advancing major improvements in the coming years. MARTA blames money troubles as it narrows down a once list of 17 to seven. And then some stops are laden with kudzu on the road with no shoulder or no sidewalk. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Recognizing changes in those key areas are possible, the following proposed schedule is currently in effect: https://www.linkedin.com/company/masstransit. The route is expected to break ground in May and be operational by 2025. Scope. After the More MARTA vote, MARTA spent two years conducting public engagement, technical analysis, and systemwide planning to determine how to spend the new revenue. presentation, printed handout, project boards, and more information about the Collin Kelley has been the editor of Atlanta Intown for two decades and has been a journalist and freelance writer for 35 years. Whats the reason for the gap? asked one of about two dozen Atlanta residents who spoke at the meeting. In the fall of 2022 at the request of the Atlanta City Council, MARTA and City leadership began discussing a possible reorganization of the program based on available funding. MARTA keeps over 185,000 cars off the road everyday. The audit would also review federal funds received and spent by More MARTA to date, including federal COVID-19 relief funds. Also in the planning phase are a redesign of the Five Points Station, which is MARTAs downtown rail hub, and a new Greenbriar Transit Center, a multi-modal hub for the Campbellton Corridorplus the eastward extension of the downtown streetcar to the Beltline Eastside corridora project that has drawn some vocal opposition from local residents. Seven years later, some local elected . HOLMES STATION MASTER PLAN, MARTA IS HIRING: BUS OPERATORS AND JOURNEYMAN BUS TECHNICIANS NEEDED, MARTA TO HOLD VETERANS CAREER FAIR MARCH 9, MARTA POLICE IS HIRING! Many residents expressed frustration at the scaled-down version of MARTAs expansion plan, which, among other economies, substitutes bus rapid transit (BRT) for light rail on the congested Clifton Corridor and Campbellton Roadand the lack of progress made on existing ones. Sometimes its the political will of a project to move forward.. To advocate and provide safe, multi-modal transit services that advance prosperity, connectivity and equity for a more livable region. More by Dyana Bagby, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window). What's Next ATL > 7 Things to Know about the More MARTA Plan. This project is in accordance with legislation 17-R-4269, which authorized the City of Atlanta to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with MARTA to set forth roles and responsibilities for the planning, design, construction, and operations of the expansion and enhancements of the rapid transit system, and to designate a Program . . Read about our mission, goals, and accomplishments. The sales tax is expected to generate $2.7 billion over 40 years; more money for the More MARTA program is coming from public and private dollars. Thus far, 92 new shelters have been installed, 100 are in the permitting and design phase, and eight are under construction. A few years ago, MARTA and Atlanta officials adopted a list of projects to roll out under the More MARTA Atlanta program, partially funded by a half-penny sales tax approved by voters. This program is a game changer, said MARTA General Manager and CEO Jeffrey Parker. Metro Atlanta kids who are diagnosed with autism will now be able to record public service announcements with the new Autism Transportation Project. Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) Program, MARTA's Transportation Assistance Program for the Homeless, MARTA, DEKALB COUNTY ADVANCE KENSINGTON TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT WITH REZONING APPROVAL, MARTA CELEBRATES IMPROVEMENTS AT COLLEGE PARK STATION, MARTA IS HIRING! 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. This position by the Atlanta City Council is disappointing and disingenuous. None of these buses have signal priority or anything else that would actually enhance their mobility.. margin-bottom: 5px; Atlanta residents took a leap of faith when they agreed to impose a tax on themselves in exchange for more transit inside the city, said Amir Farokhi, chair of the councils transportation committee. The council on March 20 approved a resolution requesting MARTA submit to its request for a financial audit of the More MARTA program and provide an answer by March 29. Councilmembers will hold a press conference Tuesday at 11:45 a.m. to discuss the audit. BUS OPERATIONS JOB FAIR APR. Major rail expansions are a decade or more away. This is yet another stall tactic from a collective group that has been wringing their hands and conflating the More MARTA program with the Citys Renew Atlanta TSPLOST program, the agency said. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. Farokhi and the Atlanta City Council, along with Mayor Andre Dickens, approved a resolution in March demanding increased financial transparency for More MARTA, including an audit. Better local bus service will do far more for the Atlanta community than BeltLine Rail could., The City of Atlantas One Transportation Plan has committed to establishing a network of bus-only lanes and installing upgrades like transit signal priority on city streets by 2022. Despite the massive declines in fare revenue wrought by the pandemic, MARTA CEO Jeffrey Parker told Atlanta Magazine in February that federal transit relief funding has put the agency in good financial shape until at least 2024, and that the More MARTA program can proceed as planned. color: #000; ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The Atlanta City Council has called for the first-ever audit of the "More MARTA" program. March 22, 2023 Additional questions and comments may be sent to townhall@itsmarta.com. 36 North Decatur Road / Virginia Highland, Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) Program, MARTA's Transportation Assistance Program for the Homeless, Cleveland Ave & Metropolitan Parkway Arterial Rapid Transit (ART), Campbellton Community Investment Corridor BRT. According to MARTA, rail and bus ridership is up month-to-month. The final list of projects approved in 2018 includes 36 miles of enhanced bus routes, and 29 miles of light rail. In particular, a regressive sales tax hits some residents harder than others. Additional questions and comments may be sent to townhall@itsmarta.com. It includes light rail transit (LRT), bus rapid transit (BRT), and arterial rapid transit (ART) systems, as well as new transit centers, local bus service, and various . program. The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Board of Directors unanimously approved the sequencing of the transit projects in the More MARTA Atlanta program on June 13. Your email address will not be published. That action, MARTA says, will start soon and be delivered by 2028. This way we get the most objective assessment of the way More MARTA is going.. 13, MARTA HOSTS PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR BANKHEAD STATION MASTER PLAN, CONGRESSWOMAN NIKEMA WILLIAMS TO HONOR MARTA BUS OPERATOR COY DUMAS, JR. FOR 50 YEARS OF SERVICE, MARTA IS HIRING! MARTA has tapped Archer Western Construction to serve as a contractor for the project.