Atlanta City Councilmembers will host a series of community forums in August to educate residents and city stakeholders about the More MARTA Atlanta program and receive feedback on the proposed project list.
The first community forum will be August 2, 2018, at 6 p.m. and will be co-hosted by Councilmembers Joyce M. Sheperd (District 12), Marci Collier Overstreet (District 11), and Cleta Winslow (District 4). City of Atlanta residents passed the More MARTA Atlanta half-penny sales tax in 2016; funding expected to generate nearly $2.5 billion for transit expansion and enhancement projects over the next 40 years.
“We want to hear from our residents,” said Sheperd. “These forums will give the community an opportunity to join more in-depth discussions and get updates as we prepare to roll out Marta transit projects across the city. We’re asking everyone to attend.”
More MARTA Atlanta’s original project list was developed with public input and included more than 70 projects with an estimated price tag of $11.5 billion, which significantly exceeded the program’s sales-tax budget. Extensive public feedback – along with thorough technical and service performance evaluations conducted by program partners’ City of Atlanta and MARTA – played a significant role in right-sizing the program to the current proposed project list.
Focusing on taking a balanced approach to delivering transit projects that will improve service, accessibility, and connectivity to communities throughout the city of Atlanta and the regional network, the program of projects will expand the existing transit system and offer a broader variety of transportation services to all parts of Atlanta.
More MARTA Atlanta will serve 126 neighborhoods and is slated to increase access to jobs by 56 percent, improve transit services to communities with large minority or low-income populations by 61 percent, and provide access to more than 70 healthcare facilities and 83 grocery stores.
More MARTA Atlanta marks Atlanta’s largest transit investment in four decades and aligns with the Atlanta Transportation Plan and the City’s blueprint for increased development.
Upcoming More MARTA Atlanta community forums:
Aug. 2, 6-8 p.m. at Fort McPherson, 1794 Walker Avenue S.W.
*Navigate to 250 Sayers St SW, Atlanta, GA 30310 — Enter the Lee St. gate, then follow red arrows to Redevelopment Authority. If your GPS takes you to the Tyler Perry Studios gate next to the MARTA station, DO NOT ENTER, you’ll be turned around. Continue past their entrance to Lee Street.
Aug. 9, 6-8 p.m. at MARTA Headquarters, 2424 Piedmont Road
Aug. 15, 6-8 p.m. at a location to be determined
Aug. 23, 6-8 p.m. at C.T. Martin Recreation Center (formerly Adamsville Recreation Center), 3201 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive S.W.