Racing Under Tracks Leaves 2 Dead

A possible drag race on Lee Street in southwest Atlanta resulted in two fatalities when a car hit a concrete MARTA support rail and instantly burst into flames early this morning near the intersection of Donnelly Avenue. "MARTA service in the area was not interrupted by the accident," police said. Rosalind Bentley-AJC (1/13/07-9:25am)

Their own words...

Gwinnett County Chairman Charles Bannister:

"If we bring an organization like MARTA into Gwinnett County, people have to vote on it. Is there enough to approve it? I don't know. People who ride our buses like it, and that's probably a step in the right direction."

Looks like in the end, the decision to bring MARTA in to southern Gwinnett will again be in the hands of voters, not the electorate. Arielle Kass-Gwinnett Daily Post (1/12/17-1:29am)

Eyes and Ears...

"What topic would bring Cobb Commission Chairman Sam Olens (who also chairs the Atlanta Regional Commission), Clayton Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell and MARTA board Chairman Ed Wall together over lunch Tuesday at the Commerce Club?

Transit.

The three men huddled together over a long lunch to discuss possible transit solutions for the Atlanta region. Stay tuned ..." Maria Saporta-AJC (1/11/07-7:13am)

New MARTA Route for Atlanta History Center

MARTA will add new Route 38 for the new Atlanta History Center opening on Monday, 15th in celebration of Martin Luther King Day with the "I Have a Dream: The Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection". Mary Swint-GoDekalb.com (1/10/07-10:36pm)

MARTA takes a road-trip to Gwinnett

A group of MARTA officials and Gwinnett business leaders took a field trip today up I-85 on a MARTA bus to scope out the area in Norcross and around Gwinnett Place Mall. Local business associations and MARTA are splitting the cost of a feasibility study ($100,000) to extend the north-east rail line from Doraville up to Gwinnett Place Mall with three proposed stations at the intersection of Jimmy Carter Blvd. & Buford Hwy., on Indian Trail near I-85, and at the mall.

The route of the proposed extension is nowhere near finalized. It may get moved closer to I-85, but for now they are taking advantage of right of way under the giant power lines running north from Doraville Station.

Paul Donsky: "As the road trip wore on, the bus riders struck a cautiously
hopeful tone. They see the need for improved transit, but understand the
enormous political and financial hurdles that are in the way."

However, there is a lot of residential and commercial activity in this corridor. . It has been 16 years since the same plan was rejected by Gwinnett voters, but between the dramatic change in demographics and economic activity, there is a good chance the line will eventually be built. Paul Donsky-AJC (1/9/07-6:57pm), Camie Young-Gwinnett Daily Post (1/10/07-12:17am)

MARTA Board OK's Rail over Buses for Beltline

The MARTA board of directors passed a resolution today approving the "Locally Preferred Alternative" of light rail and "steel wheel" technology over the cheaper but less impressive Bus Rapid Transit option.

The decision was made after four public meetings this fall showed a significant preference for something cleaner and more permanent than buses.The route specified in the Beltline resolution will go through the Inman Park-Reynoldstown station on the east line and work its way around downtown ending/starting at Lindbergh station (MARTA Headquarters) on the north line.

"Next the Locally Preferred Alternative will be submitted to the Atlanta Regional Commission and environmental impact assessment will be done. Financial and implementation plans will be developed, also." Mary Swint-GoDekalb.com (1/8/07-9:39pm)

In-Fill MARTA stations feasibility

news is going around on MARTA studying the feasibility of new stations going in between existing stations. Idea is in the very early phase of being looked at but already I can imagine the positive reception it is going to receive from commuters not wanting to walk ridiculous distances to board a train inside the perimeter.

Hodgson (MARTA "chief marketing officer") has suggested MARTA look at four gaps that could support a station: between the Garnett and West End stations just south of downtown Atlanta; between King Memorial and Inman Park stations just east of downtown; between the Arts Center and Lindbergh stations north of Midtown; and between the West Lake and Ashby stations on Atlanta's west side.

This is the first I'm hearing of MARTA infilling, but really this has been a long time coming with distances between stations stretching up to 3 miles. Donsky cites the average distance commuters are willing to walk to a station is half a mile and, when I can just drive and get there faster, that estimate seems fairly accurate. AJC-Paul Donsky(1/1/07-9:21pm), WXIA(11Alive)-Jon Shirek(1/3/07-8:32am)