ATLANTA TRANSIT (Marta, Beltline, Peachtree Streetcar, LovJoy Commuter, etc...)

[Labtec]

Originally Posted by ATLMidcity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqR1...wgY2Fycw%3D%3D

Does anyone know when MARTA will actually introduce the new rail cars to the public? I distinctly remember 2023 as the year taxpayers/riders would get the chance to experience what we're getting for our $$$.

"The $646 million project is expected to bring the final trains back to Atlanta in 2024 before testing and then a debut on the MARTA network in 2025."

https://www.11alive.com/article/news...9-e7ac604dc4dc

[trainiac]

I might have to check this out

Friday: Concerts on the Car
Come get cozy on the Atlanta Streetcar and enjoy some live holiday music.
Friday, Dec. 8: Inside the Streetcar @ 12:00-3:00pm

Lots of other stuff too
https://itsmarta.com/holidayevents.aspx

[shivtim]

MARTA posted this render of the Five Points transformation on Facebook today.

[GeorgiaPeanuts]

10th street bridge project is out for bid since last month:

https://www.midtownatl.com/about/pro...lti-modal-area

Interesting it looks as though Williams will get a two way cycle track as part of this from Peachtree place all the way to 12th

[GeorgiaPeanuts]

And the 5th street redesign was awarded in November and expected to start early 2024: https://www.midtownatl.com/project/5...omplete-street

[Atlurbsandspices]

https://atlanta.urbanize.city/

[shivtim]

MARTA's Five Points overhaul to close station for more than a year
Rail service, transfer functionality won't be impacted during construction, transit agency says
via urbanize atlanta

[Atlurbsandspices]

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/...n-lawsuit.html

Josh Rowan, former number 2 at MARTA, is suing the organization alleging that he was fired after discovering some questionable financial practices at the agency.

[cabasse]

[unpopular opinion but?] that's great to hear. between that and jeff parker's untimely demise there really seems to be something sordid at the heart of marta.

[Atlurbsandspices]

Originally Posted by cabasse

[unpopular opinion but?] that's great to hear. between that and jeff parker's untimely demise there really seems to be something sordid at the heart of marta.

I don't disagree. Finding out that there is something rotten would mean MARTA still has a lot of potential that's been hidden. If it can be rooted out, then we might see the system explode with improvements. Of course, there's also the risk it just brings the whole organization down. Or nothing happens at all.

[montydawg]

https://youtu.be/2Ed_VUqILh0?si=xIj_36f6PnZtel_Z

This video discusses ATLtrains proposal.

[newuserbuckhead]

I decided to dust off some GIS skills and overlay other cities rapid transit systems on top of Atlanta. Grey base are census blocks. Tan outline is the COA. White lines are highways. Colors are routes.

Boston:
Green line is light rail, and street running for a large portion in the west, but grade separated through downtown and to the north.


Washington DC:
All lines are nearly identical to MARTA, fully grade separated.


Philadelphia:
The most complicated of the three I did. There's a mix of true subway/highspeed rail transit, three lines, two agencies, and then a mix of street running streetcars and grade separated light rail, and a streetcar subway mix like the MBTA Green line.

[shivtim]

Atlanta City Council removes minimum parking requirements in BeltLine district

The move eliminates required off-street parking lots for commercial and residential projects in the Atlanta BeltLine development area except for the “minimum parking requirements applicable to Commercial Food Preparation, Delivery-based commercial kitchens, and Eating and Drinking Establishments, which shall be determined by the underlying zoning.”

[Sojourner_Terminus]

I'm curious if anyone knows, what is the Beltlines plan once they finish the loop around the city? Does the focus shift entirely to expanding the streetcar, or are there plans for cross town connections?

I would really like to see a web of interconnected trails and lightrail one day.

[montydawg]

Originally Posted by Sojourner_Terminus

I'm curious if anyone knows, what is the Beltlines plan once they finish the loop around the city? Does the focus shift entirely to expanding the streetcar, or are there plans for cross town connections?

I would really like to see a web of interconnected trails and lightrail one day.

I walked down to union ave (confederate ave) bridge as well as the ormwood bridge along the new beltline train they are currently building yesterday. They are building a new pedestrian bridge along the side of the trestle, and the new union ave bridge will be very wide. This tells me they are preserving the right away for rail transit along this section, despite no immediate plans to build light rail here. It appears light rail along the beltline is still on the table and perhaps they are going to let density establish itself along the beltline before they attempt to tackle light rail

[Julien]

Originally Posted by Sojourner_Terminus

.....what is the Beltlines plan once they finish the loop around the city? .....

It could easily be another decade before it is complete and if done in 5 years I'd be (pleasantly) surprised. Sometimes they move quickly and other locations are glacial and the hard and sloooooow North part is yet to start (except for a small section).

For instance here is a pic of the West side under Hollowell from 6 months ago and one from yesterday.

[Sojourner_Terminus]

Yeah, it will definitely take a while to finish still, but i think it will be done by roughly 2030. The trail, that is. Rail will hopefully continue until the day i die, but that will depend on how successful the EST rail extension is.

[smArTaLlone]

https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-air...MIIVQKKYML5SQ/

The MARTA rail station at Hartsfield-Jackson International will close for six weeks for renovations starting in April, according to the transit agency, though transit service to and from the airport during construction will continue with the use of buses.

The short-term closure is designed to compress the project’s overall construction timeline, but it will still mean significant disruption for airline passengers and airport workers who rely on MARTA rail service. MARTA said the closure will last from April 8 through May 19 to allow for a renovation of the concourse and platform levels of the airport station.

[Julien]

Armour Yards (this "island" or "exclave" still boggles my mind ). This is not anywhere near Beltline/PATH specs but this seems to be the Beltline after it comes out from I85 and on Mayson St. It is sooooo narrow and just "regular" sidewalk. How are bikes and pedestrians supposed to navigate this? And better yet let's add Streetcar rail.

Seems they could have taken 4' or 5' of Mayson St to bring it up to spec.





A couple of the Artwork.

[Julien]

Piedmont park/Park Dr bridge

Looking south




Looking north