The digital home of Reporter Newspapers and Atlanta Intown. h4 { And voters are right to expect tangible action at this stage of the More MARTA program, Farokhi told Atlanta Civic Circle after the meeting. PDF More MARTA Atlanta FACT SHEET - static1.squarespace.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 . 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. The most immediate improvements for Atlanta transit Atlantans can potentially look forward to a new bus network as soon as 2022. Apply for the Job in Automotive Technician - MARTA Mobility at Atlanta, GA. View the job description, responsibilities and qualifications for this position. Whether the nine projects we see in this first phase are the right ones is fair for debate., GET INVOLVED: MARTAs board of directors will meet Thursday, April 27 at MARTA headquarters at 2424 Piedmont Rd. The digital home of Reporter Newspapers and Atlanta Intown. prioritize some of the capital projects approved by voters seven years ago. Shipman said he didnt believe any projects would need to be delayed as the City is financing and overseeing the audit. MARTA says it's open to Atlanta expansion program audit Seven years later, some local elected . All rights reserved. Sometimes its funding issues. MARTA has disputed that assertion. 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. font-size: 19px; put the agency in good financial shape until at least 2024, and that the More MARTA program can proceed as planned. @media screen and (min-width:1200px) { Thats a lot of where the pushback is coming from, said Sumlin. Ridership is still down about a million monthly riders compared to pre-pandemic numbers. 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. } MARTA and the City of Atlanta jointly and receive questions and comments about the proposed resequencing. It will include 14 stops with buses. MARTA Are you a transit agency practitioner? 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. Whats the reason for the gap? asked one of about two dozen Atlanta residents who spoke at the meeting. There will be in-person updates on Tuesday, April 18, at Sylvan Middle School and Thursday, April 20, at All Saints Episcopal Church. 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. The City of Atlanta and MARTA propose separating the projects into two tiers. We do a lot to engage the public. Thats something where MARTA doesnt have the ability to make the change themselves, but they should be more aggressive in asking local governments to do it., Height sees MARTAs focus on major capital expansion as necessary if Atlanta wants to remain competitive with other big cities. All the update sessions will begin at 6 p.m. We have answered these questions, and instead of accepting the answers, Council is playing politics by demanding a full performance review of decisions made by previous MARTA and City of Atlanta leaders. The final list of projects approved in 2018 includes 36 miles of enhanced bus routes, and 29 miles of light rail. Some stops have a shelter, a schedule, lighting, youre on an expansive sidewalk. MARTA, which took over the streetcar from Atlanta in 2018, says more people will ride if the line goes more places. This will be followed by the Cleveland Ave and Peachtree ART in 2024, and 2025, respectively. BUS OPERATIONS JOB FAIR APR. 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. MARTAs collaboration with Emory University will transform our ability to connect people to the more than 40,000 jobs along the Clifton Corridor and improve access for over 2 million patients who visit Emory University Hospital and the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center each year. The council unanimously requested an audit of the More MARTA Atlanta transit expansion program. Learn more about MARTAs partnership with Uber and Lyft. Commuting in Metro Atlanta | Atlanta Regional Commission | September 6, 2018, Commuting in Metro Atlanta | Atlanta Regional Commission | August 16, 2018, ARCs Strategic Partners are committed to fostering collaborative regional approaches that improve quality of life in metro Atlanta. 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. MARTA has come under criticism from city leaders and riders after its decision to pursue lower-cost transit projects like bus rapid transit (BRT) on the Campbellton Road and Clifton Corridor projects rather than rail. Other improvements include: MARTA's Station . Phone: 404.463.3100. 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. 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. We work to change the way transit is governed, planned, and operated across the country. Atlanta City Council calls for audit of 'More MARTA' program MARTA agrees to Atlanta City Council requested audit | 11alive.com 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. The council says the audit is simply good governance and that it wasnt spurred on by one specific action. Theres lots of different factors that impact the list, right? said Rocha. But Sumlin says the feedback hes heard from his community is that many projects that survived MARTAs resequencing are intended for tourists and transplants. MARTA Board advances BRT in Campbellton community - Mass Transit We'd love to hear from you! Here are the various ways to get in touch. font-size: 35px; Tejas Kotak, transit chair of the Georgia Sierra Club, believes that MARTA is on an upward trajectory overall. font-size: 30px; Atlanta transit riders aren't thrilled with scaled-down More MARTA projects. Atlanta residents are eager for more transit options. It was MARTA leaderships expectation that after the recent City-requested resequencing exercise, we would focus on delivery of the program. Four years later, what improvements are now tangible for Atlanta transit riders, and what can riders expect to see in the next four? Last week, the More MARTA project list was submitted to Mayor Bottoms for her review in advance of the full MARTA Board's vote on October 4th. MARTA and the City of Atlanta will host three public updates to share information and take questions and comments about the More MARTA Atlanta Program. h3 { 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. 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. at 9:30 am. MARTA board approves Atlanta Streetcar extension Finally, $200 million has been set aside for rail station improvements and $237 million to upgrade the bus system. 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! The council and Mayor. But he emphasizes that the agency also needs to focus on improving local bus service. Our new station zone management program is enhancing your experience at our stations. 7 Things to Know about the More MARTA Plan - ARC All that is missing is the political will.. Our agenda-setting research gets to the heart of what matters to transit riders. 36 North Decatur Road / Virginia Highland. In a first, the Georgia Legislature in 2021 appropriated $6 million toward the $50 million renovation of MARTAs Bankhead rail station, located next to a proposed new Microsoft campus. A Chefs Test Kitchen Is Opening at Uptown Atlanta Near Lindbergh Marta View latest elevator and escalator statuses. The agency has recently made $200 million in rail improvements, including rehabbing escalators and elevators, upgrading stations and train control systems, and procuring new rolling stock. 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. I think the various transit advocacy groups in Metro Atlanta need to come together and come up with our major asks for MARTA. Almost three out of every four Atlanta voters agreed to a half-penny sales tax in 2016 to generate $2.7 billion over 40 years for an ambitious public transit expansion plan, known as More MARTA. 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. Through its recent Bus Stop Census, MARTA Army inventoried at least a third of the stops within the MARTA service area. 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. MARTA audit will not slow expansion, agency says - Atlanta Business More MARTA is a large transit expansion program within Atlanta supported by a 0.5 percent sales tax approved by voters in 2016. This is something where it definitely needs a lot of public engagement, a lot of public feedback, and were hoping MARTA and Jarrett Walker will pay attention to what the current riders actually want and need. He says that Georgia Sierra Club is currently brainstorming about the role it can play in the outreach process. Faroki also questions MARTAs wisdom in project selection. MARTA and the city of Atlanta are using these local dollars to leverage additional federal funding for some of the more expensive and more competitive projects. In 2019, the MARTA Board adopted a sequencing plan that was codified into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between MARTA and COA in 2020. MARTA is your direct route for all flights in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. We will have more and better transit options to get to job centers, colleges and universities, hospitals, parks and neighborhoods across Atlanta. Instead, that exercise is being used as an excuse to further delay. They are physically and financially a lot more stable than they used to be.. 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. Terms of Service apply. } MARTA needs to repay that faith by periodically opening up the books to the people so that they can see how their money is being spent.. 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. This year, he expanded the program to four more cities including Atlanta. 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." The More MARTA Atlanta program is aligned with the Atlanta Transportation Plan and the City's efforts to build upon a layered, integrated, regional transportation network. But others arent standing still. } More MARTA Atlanta allocates $350 million to run light rail from Lindbergh Center Station to the Clifton Corridor area, though the public funding is contingent on local sources raising another $100 million privately. MARTA has tapped Archer Western Construction to serve as a contractor for the project. Things have definitely improved with MARTA. MARTA celebrates Autism Awareness Month with new program 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. Atlanta city council OKs audit into billion-dollar MARTA program. MARTA, City of Atlanta to host public updates on More MARTA expansion }. Council member Marci Collier Overstreet said this provision ensures integrity. Councilmembers will hold a press conference Tuesday at 11:45 a.m. to discuss the audit. Thus far, 92 new shelters have been installed, 100 are in the permitting and design phase, and eight are under construction. MARTA has a second tier of projects on its long term listvery long term. } If you ask me personally, MARTAs too coverage heavy, said Height. In November 2016, the city of Atlanta overwhelmingly approved the local sales tax that was designed for the largest investment in transit enhancements and expansion in four decades. NEXT STEPS Board Briefing: May Review More MARTA Program of Projects Recommendation Community Outreach Activities: May -August Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) Meetings Public Outreach Activities Atlanta City Council Briefings Mayor of Atlanta Briefing Board Work Session: August Review Public Response to More MARTA Program of Projects More MARTA is funded by a half-penny tax passed in 2016. Public engagement and planning would begin in 2028, and the program timeline goes all the way to 2057. 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! None of these buses have signal priority or anything else that would actually enhance their mobility.. The program of projects is funded by an. 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. Some of the funding is coming from a half-cent sales tax that Atlanta voters approved in 2016. Meet the dynamic staff working to change transit in American cities. Six years later, we do not have those projects, and I still dont believe we have a clear understanding of what money has been spent, what money plans to be spent and what money we will have for projects in the future, Shipman said. Link to information about and archived livestream of past events. Since 2020, MARTA has been advancing the projects in accordance with the prioritization in the sequencing plan. Almost three out of every four Atlanta voters agreed to a half-penny sales tax in 2016 to generate $2.7 billion over 40 years for an ambitious public transit expansion plan, known as More MARTA. h3 { The best thing the politicians on council can do for their constituents in the city of Atlanta is to get out of the way and let MARTA deliver the projects, the statement said. Since 2020, MARTA has been advancing the projects in accordance with the prioritization in the sequencing plan. Required fields are marked *. At this juncture, as the fiduciaries of taxpayer funds to implement the program, such a review will obligate MARTA to pause work on all More MARTA Atlanta projects, with the exception of the federally funded Summerhill BRT and Five Points Transformation, until this matter is resolved, said MARTA in a statement. Blue/Green lines operate on special 20-minute schedules. Wednesday In Georgia, yes, Sign up for Atlanta News First Newsletters. Privacy Policy and As the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority advances its More MARTA Atlanta Program, the agency's position is bolstered by what an executive called "unprecedented" state funding. 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. After successful passage of the referendum, MARTA and the City of Atlanta executed a robust program of community engagement to establish guiding principles and the project list. 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! 'More MARTA' audit confirmed as City Council presses for women/minority So it definitely is a huge inequality with the transit experience, no matter what part of the metro youre in., Kotak agrees that bus stop and sidewalk improvements need to be immediate priorities in the region. Another nearly $300 million will build various bus rapid transit projects, including one from the Summerhill neighborhood to downtown Atlanta. 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. 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. It wants detailed information on why MARTA has spent about half the proceeds of a voter-approved . Read about our mission, goals, and accomplishments. More MARTA Atlanta is the city of Atlanta's largest transit investment in four decades. The Atlanta City Council on Monday approved a financial audit of a MARTA program that was funded by a 2016 half-penny sales tax. } . 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. Copyright 2023 WANF. See their stories here. How Long Until Atlanta Transit Riders Get More MARTA? MARTA, city host public updates on More MARTA Atlanta program The More MARTA program is funded by a half-penny sales tax approved by Atlanta voters in 2016 specifically to build new rail, streetcar extensions, new bus lines and new stations. This is coming from a place of wanting to seek truth after multiple conversations with MARTA in our transportation committee and not feeling certain that more MARTA funds have been spent as theyre intended to and wanting us, wanting more clarity, and residents and voters wanting more clarity on how these funds are being spent at the beginning of a 40-year timeframe, said Farokhi. Sign up for our newsletter designed specifically for you! 2023 Complexity shuts you out, ACC opens the door for you. Many of the agencys longer term-projects, like the Clifton Corridor light rail extension to Emory University, are awaiting additional sources of funding before proceeding to the planning phase. Atlanta is always like, we have to study and study and studybut at some point we need some action.. Every step of the program has been taken in concert with the City of Atlanta, the agency said. The More MARTA Atlanta program is aligned with the Atlanta Transportation Plan and the . Funded by the half-penny sales tax overwhelmingly passed in 2016 by Atlanta voters, the program includes improvements to existing service and investment in a variety of transit projects and systemwide enhancements. National News; Apr 21, 2023. City residents passed an additional half-penny tax for "More MARTA" in November 2017. $570 million for the Atlanta BeltLine corridor; including all high capacity transit modes, the More MARTA Atlanta program builds out 61% of the . . MARTA intends the redesign to be budget neutral, meaning it doesnt plan to add additional bus service as part of the initiative. 2023 Atlanta Regional Commission. 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.