2017 Atlanta CommunityProfiles

Not Your Mom’s
By
Gwyn Herbein
You don’t have to live in Atlanta very long
before likely hearing the mantra, “MARTA...it’s
s’MARTA!” repeated several times. MARTA, which
stands for Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit
Authority, a network of trains, shuttles and buses,
provides access to some of the metro area’s largest
businesses and busiest tourist attractions. From
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
to Centennial Olympic Park and the bustling
shopping districts of Buckhead and Perimeter Mall,
commuters have many ways to get from point A to
point B. With route expansions, station renovations
and technology integrations well underway,
MARTA and its leadership are working hard to
ensure that Atlanta—and its residents—keep
moving forward.
Where MARTA’s Been
In a city known for its urban sprawl and frustrating
gridlock traffic, residents appreciate having options
for getting where they need to go. As Atlanta and
its population began to grow in the middle of
the twentieth century, city officials recognized
the importance of public transportation. After
considering a variety of plans and proposals, in
1965 the state legislature passed the Metropolitan
Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Act, which created
the system now known as MARTA, and it was
subsequently approved by four counties and the
City of Atlanta. The next several years were spent
consolidating a patchwork of existing systems as
well as securing land and voter approval to purchase
the Atlanta Transit System.
Know Before You Go
Hours:
Trains run from 4:45 a.m.
to 1 a.m. during the week
and from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m.
on weekends
Frequency:
Weekday rush hour trains
(6–9 a.m. and 3–7 p.m.) are
approximately 10 minutes
apart; the rest of the day
they are approximately 15
minutes apart; after 8:30
p.m. and on weekends,
trains run every 20 minutes.
Fare:
$2.50 (single trip)
For maps and additional
information, go to
www.itsmarta.com.
On June 30, 1979, the first MARTA train began
operating between the Avondale and Georgia State
stations. From there, service spread to the south, to
the Airport station, to the north, to Buckhead and
beyond, as well as to the east and west. New stations
continued opening
well into the beginning
of the 21st century,
with the addition of
Sandy Springs and
North Springs in 2000.
The hard work
and dedication of
city officials, MARTA
employees and
community members
has helped bolster a
system that Atlanta
can be proud of. Saba
Long, a spokeswoman
for MARTA, notes that
MARTA now has the
distinction of being the
ninth-largest transit
system in the country.
“MARTA serves millions
of Atlanta area residents
and visitors,” she notes.
“With direct connections
to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport,
business districts, major tourist attractions and
historic neighborhoods, MARTA is a reliable, safe
transportation alternative.” Long also notes that
MARTA was the first transit system in the country
to adopt a stored value smartcard—known as the
Breeze card—as a mechanism for customers to
pay their fare. “Breeze cards can be purchased
and reloaded online or at any of MARTA’s 38 rail
stations,” she adds.
Where MARTA’s Going
Now a well-oiled network of trains, buses, parkand-ride
lots and other amenities, MARTA and
its leadership have their eyes focused on bringing
the system into the future. Through station
improvements and expansions, its “Ride With
Respect” initiative and technological upgrades,
MARTA is transforming itself into a system that
appeals to a wide range of Atlanta’s demographics.
First and foremost, MARTA leadership
understands that many of its customers rely on
their mobile devices every day to provide up-todate
information. “[Customers can] download
MARTA’s free ‘On the Go’ mobile app to find
scheduling information, real-time bus and rail
arrival information and service alerts for MARTA’s
four rail lines and 91 bus routes,” says Long. “By
developing and maintaining the mobile app inhouse,
MARTA is able to provide customers with
prompt updates to assist customers in trip planning.”
As a companion to its Ride With Respect campaign,
which encourages riders to be considerate of their
fellow passengers, the system also has a “See
Something, Say Something” app. “Just as you
would immediately report suspicious or improper
behavior in an airport, you should do the same when
using public transit,” says
Long. “Using the app
empowers customers
to anonymously report
suspicious behavior.
Thanks to the public’s
help and the diligence
of MARTA’s able police
force, MARTA ranks as
one of the safest transit
systems in the country.”
As the metro
area has expanded, the
system has been actively
investigating ways to be
more accessible to more
residents. It secured
its first jurisdictional
expansion in November
2014, when Clayton
County residents voted
to bring the authority
into the county. “In 2015,
MARTA will begin bus
service to Clayton County, connecting its residents
with Fulton, DeKalb and the City of Atlanta.
Within a decade, the Authority anticipates a highcapacity
transit project such as commuter rail or
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will open in Clayton,” says
Long of the expansion.
MARTA is also investigating the possibility of
future projects. “Among them [are] extending the
Red Line past Mansell Road, a Light Rail Transit
(LRT) project connecting Atlanta and the Clifton
Corridor and a high-capacity transit project along
I-20 East,” explains Long. “These projects will
exponentially increase the region’s transit access
and connect thousands of residents and visitors
to employment centers and neighborhoods.”
Long touts the importance of transit-oriented
development as a way to attract what the authority
refers to as lifestyle customers, or people who
intentionally incorporate transit into their daily
lives. As more and more companies relocate to
the metro area and development projects from
Ponce City Market in Midtown to Avalon in
Alpharetta attract millenials and other workers
to concentrated areas, transit becomes more
important. “Companies such as PulteGroup and
Bellsouth have intentionally moved their corporate
offices to Atlanta and specifically in close proximity
to MARTA rail stations,” says Long. “This is a clear
sign public perception towards MARTA and transit
is shifting in the metro Atlanta region.”
CommunityProfiles >> 2017 7