this post was submitted on 30 Jul 2025
1 points (100.0% liked)

Atlanta News

426 readers
72 users here now

News about Atlanta, auto-sourced from RSS feeds of local and regional media. User names indicate the news source.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

MARTA: Long pause for Atlanta Streetcar on horizon Josh Green Wed, 07/30/2025 - 08:14

Frequent streetcar riders and forthcoming Atlanta visitors should take note: The downtown trolley is going off the grid for a while. 

For the second time in two years, the Atlanta Streetcar will be pulled from service for several months, beginning Sept. 8, MARTA officials announced this week. Shuttle van service will be offered along the streetcar’s 2.7-mile loop around downtown and Sweet Auburn while the trolleys are offline. 

MARTA plans to suspend streetcar operations to allow Georgia Power to perform underground electrical line repairs considered urgent, and to complete scheduled infrastructure upgrades along the streetcar loop. 

According to MARTA, the streetcar shutdown will last roughly three to four months, but a MARTA shuttle wrapped to appear similar to streetcars will carry passengers along the route in the meantime. 

Streetcar fares are $1 per one-way trip, or $3 for a day pass. 

alt The Atlanta Streetcar (right) and its equally purplish-blue shuttle counterpart. Courtesy of MARTA

Georgia Power’s excavation work will require one lane closure between Courtland Street and Peachtree Center Avenue. Safety protocol forbids streetcars from operating along open construction areas, according to MARTA. 

MARTA plans to use the downtime to perform a deep cleaning along the streetcar route, update vehicles and signage, inspect and repair catenaries, trim trees, and refurbish stations, per the agency. 

Streetcar fans may recall all four of the transit vehicles were pulled from service and replaced with shuttles for more than three months in 2023. That pause came after engineers spotted wheel degradation issues on the streetcars that could have posed risks. 

Atlanta’s streetcar system opened a decade ago—behind schedule and substantially overbudget—with a 12-stop route of new tracks. It’s taken lumps for being stuck in traffic, shut down for some major events, and for pulling in dismally low ridership numbers, but it remains a valuable service for transit riders and downtown guests. 

Controversial, $230-million plans to expand the streetcar system to Ponce City Market via the Beltline were squashed by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ administration earlier this year. The city’s focus is now to implement streetcar service to the Old Fourth Ward near Krog Street Market, and along the Beltline’s Southside Trail, in conjunction with MARTA, though no timelines have been specified. 

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram

• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

Tags

Georgia Power

MARTA

Atlanta Streetcar

Alternate Transportation

Alternative Transportation

Light Rail

Light Rail Transit

Streetcars

Atlanta Tourism

Images

alt The Atlanta Streetcar (right) and its equally purplish-blue shuttle counterpart. Courtesy of MARTA

Subtitle

Months-long shutdown will address utilities, infrastructure upgrades; shuttle to be offered

Neighborhood

Downtown

Background Image

Image

A long purple streetcar on the streets of Atlanta.

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post

Off

#Atlanta #UrbanizeAtlanta #theATLBot

no comments (yet)
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
there doesn't seem to be anything here