Georgia

ATLANTA — The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is looking to expand its system to include “high-capacity transit” along a major thoroughfare into the city’s northern suburbs. Transit options for the 12-mile corridor along Ga. Highway 400, according to a notice published in the Federal Register, could include bus or rail. While MARTA officials have looked to expand the city’s subway system, new tracks haven’t been brought into service since 2000. “MARTA has identified an alignment that would provide approximately 11.9 miles of transit service along the GA 400 corridor within existing right-of-way from the existing North Springs MARTA

ATLANTA — MARTA recently release a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) to identify a master development partner to help create a new Transit-Oriented Development at the King Memorial rail station in Downtown Atlanta. The RFQ is the initial phase of a two-step process wherein potential development partners will be asked to respond to MARTA’s qualification criteria for its TOD program. A short list of firms who satisfy the criteria will subsequently be invited to submit formal bids on the project as part of a future Request for Proposals (RFP). MARTA selected King Memorial Station as the first of five transit-oriented developments

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves are looking to add a maglev train connecting Turner Field with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), the city’s mass transit system. According to published reports, the Braves are partnering with a Marietta-based company, American Maglev Technologies, on the proposed connection. Currently, anyone taking public transportation to the Braves’ stadium must transfer from the subway to a bus. While a rail link to Turner Field has been discussed over the years, one has yet to be built, prompting the recent maglev train proposal. “We think this is a huge opportunity to not only solve

ATLANTA — Crews continue to install tracks for a new streetcar line that is set to start operating next spring. When it opens, the 2.7-mile streetcar line will connect with MARTA, the city’s transit system. Future plans call for the new streetcar to tie into the Atlanta BeltLine, a public-private partnership that is building walking paths along a ring of mostly abandoned railroad right-of-ways that circle the city. Workers are expected to install a block of track every three to four weeks. The new line is funded with nearly $100 million – or roughly $37 million per mile – in

ATLANTA — MARTA will not raise its fare under a Fiscal Year 2014 budget the MARTA Board of Directors approved on Monday. The budget, which takes effect July 1, includes $426.9 million for operations and $430.5 million for capital programs, including $141.1 million for debt service. The regional transit provider originally planned to increase its base fare from $2.50 to $2.75 during the upcoming fiscal year and would have included increases in 2015, 2016 and 2018 fiscal years. MARTA officials say the approved budget includes a five-year strategy to stabilize the agency’s finances, improve employee morale and the overall customer

MARTA is investigating a May 23 accident involving a bus on Route 123 that was struck by a freight train at a railroad crossing in the City of Decatur. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the accident which occurred about 6:30 a.m. at the intersection of South McDonough and East Howard Avenue. MARTA Operator Donna McMullen was travelling northbound with four passengers aboard when she reported the bus became “stuck” as it proceeded across the tracks. As a westbound train approached, McMullen followed MARTA emergency protocol and safely evacuated the bus. The ensuing impact caused serious damage to the bus

ATLANTA — During one of Atlanta’s biggest and most exciting weekends in recent memory, MARTA’s rail ridership spiked dramatically as large numbers of hometown customers and out-of-town visitors skipped the traffic jams and instead chose transit to attend the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and a host of other events. Beginning Friday April 5th when the Final Four events began until after the championship game on Monday, April 8th, MARTA saw an estimated 78 percent increase in rail ridership. During that period, there were about 1,140,000 total rail passenger boardings; about 500,000 more than on average days when no such events