— Nathan Clubb, BRN Board Member

Equity: justice according to natural law or right; specifically: freedom from bias or favoritism

This month we observed National Transit Equity Day. Many elected officials and senior officials rode buses for the day, and I took part by picking up my daughter from daycare and getting home via MARTA heavy rail and the #9 bus. However, we need to do more than just pat each other on our backs on Transit Equity Day. We need to think about Rosa Parks, the need for equity within our transit system, and the role it plays in connecting all of Atlanta to good jobs, education, healthcare, and the opportunities needed to reduce our systemic inequities. BeltLine rail builds upon the existing bus and heavy rail system, creating more rapid connections to economic and other opportunities. It makes the existing bus system more effective, with 19 MARTA bus routes crossing just the currently completed sections of the BeltLine trail. BeltLine rail is an opportunity to dedicate space on streets to transit, a first step to creating dedicated spaces for buses and other quick fixes to show that we value transit riders as much or more than those traveling in cars. This is one important way to honor the legacy of Rosa Parks. Let’s not just spend a day on transit equity. Instead, we can build a better public transit system for those who are dependent on it.

A great place to start is simply fixing the existing Streetcar. As we look forward to the long-awaited fulfillment of the promises in More MARTA, many of us have heard the recent, and ongoing, discussions regarding what transit projects can actually be delivered by More MARTA sales tax revenue. At the same time, MARTA ridership has fallen by 60% since 2012. We need to attract more riders to MARTA and a functional transit system can help us reverse this downward trend. We deserve transit that is frequent, reliable, and affordable. Fixing the Streetcar is a great opportunity for MARTA and the City to build public trust and ensure a successful extension to and along the BeltLine by showing we know how to deliver a world-class transit project. It is also a great opportunity to ensure transit riders get the prioritized service they deserve over street parkers and those who can afford car ownership. It is a key component to attracting ridership and reducing car dependency in Atlanta. It is the first step to moving the city and MARTA forward together.

We are excited that the Streetcar East Extension is ready to move forward entirely with local funding from the More MARTA sales tax! We have previously discussed our support for the Streetcar East Extension as an important first step toward fulfilling the city’s holistic rail vision and as the catalyst for rail on the entirety of the BeltLine. We have also noted our belief that simultaneous action needs to be taken to ensure both the success of the Extension and the completion of the full 13 miles of BeltLine rail promised by More MARTA, including addressing challenges with the existing streetcar. 

BRN has also long advocated for fixes to the existing streetcar, which are necessary to ensure the success of the massive investment we are making in Streetcars and BeltLine rail. These vital improvements decrease transit time and increase service reliability by connecting jobs in dense communities like historic Old Fourth Ward to Downtown and MARTA heavy rail at Peachtree Station.

The Streetcar East Extension is a golden opportunity to right some wrongs and turn the streetcar into a valuable and integrated asset within the city’s larger transit network. Let’s start with the low-hanging fruit:

• Increase the frequency of trains: every 10 minutes rather than every 15. We can make this a reality with additional streetcars purchased to support the Streetcar East Extension! Frequency is freedom. It is the only way to get folks out of their cars.

• Extend hours of operation past 11 p.m. to match MARTA rail’s schedule. (Getting to or from MARTA rail at Peachtree Center only works if there’s enough time to make the connection.)

• Add an eastbound stop at the corner of Luckie St and Forsyth St. by the Rialto Theater for a better connection to Peachtree Center MARTA. (To go eastbound from Peachtree Center now, you either have to take the loop all the way around or walk almost 1/3 mile to Park Place.)

• Synchronize traffic signals so that the Streetcar is prioritized over cars and isn’t waiting for cars ahead to turn. Seattle began doing this in 2009 for its light rail system. Not waiting for red lights will allow the Streetcar to reduce travel time and increase the likelihood that someone will use it rather than drive. 

• Integrate the Streetcar free transfer from MARTA rail and bus like every other MARTA vehicle. Allow MARTA passes to be used on the Streetcar rather than requiring riders to purchase a separate pass. This is standard practice on other transit systems, including in Portland and Seattle. 

In addition, there are needed improvements that are a little more complex, but with your help, we can convince leaders in Atlanta to spend the necessary political capital to have a functional, world-class streetcar. 

• Get the Streetcar out of traffic! Let’s create dedicated lanes throughout the corridor. The easy first step is opening up Irwin Street at Auburn Ave and the BeltLine to transit and people by closing it to cars. Toronto recently created dedicated lanes for its downtown streetcar and it is already significantly reducing travel times with some riders reporting travel time being reduced by 50%. 

• A more politically challenging but necessary step is providing dedicated space for significant portions of the existing Streetcar route. This would require the City to work with MARTA to reimagine much of the current street design along the route. One option would be to make Auburn and Edgewood one-way, allowing for dedicated space for the Streetcar, protected bike infrastructure, and a lane of travel for vehicular traffic. Some have even suggested closing sections of Edgewood to vehicular traffic. 

• Ensure that it is not physically possible for poorly parked cars to block Streetcar operations. We’ve all seen the MARTA alerts about parked cars causing temporary closures to Streetcar service. We should make this physically impossible, including reducing parking adjacent to the Streetcar line and using physical barriers to prevent illegal parking.

• Make the existing Streetcar route more walkable and vibrant. This includes improving sidewalk conditions and working to replace abandoned buildings and empty parking lots with housing and commercial development, all while preserving historical structures and retaining existing businesses. The BeltLine is full of destinations, so let's work to create a similar space along the Streetcar. 

There’s simply no better way to win the heart of Atlantans than with a faster and more reliable transit option. 

WE NEED YOUR HELP! 

Want the City and MARTA to fix the issues with the existing Streetcar? Please email or call Mayor Andre Dickens, the MARTA board, and your district and at-large city councilmembers. They need to know political capital is worth spending on items like creating dedicated space for the Streetcar along the route and ensuring the entire route prioritizes people over cars.