MARTA
Planning for Atlanta’s Future
A half-cent ballot measure has pushed forward a list of projects to give citizens “More MARTA.”
By Leah Harnack M
etropolitan Atlanta Rapid
Transit Authority had not
passed a ballot initiative of
any kind in 40 years but in
the last two years, General
Manager and Chief Executive
Offi cer Keith Parker said
they had initiatives that both
won with the highest vote totals of
any transit initiatives in the country.
“About two years ago, the voters
of Clayton County voted 74 percent
to join the system as a full partner,”
he said, “and then just in November,
the citizens of Atlanta with a 72 percent
vote said we want to tax ourselves
more to have more MARTA.” He
stressed, “We’ve seen a sea change.”
MARTA previously had an adersarial
relationship with stakeholders
when he came onboard. “Many
elected offi cials viewed MARTA as
a pariah; you don’t want to support
it, you stay away from it, you beat up
on it. Th at’s the way you win votes,”
Parker said.
He said the focus was to get some
early wins to send a message they were
serious about looking for all ways to
save. Th ey scoured the budget and
looked for where money could be
saved. As a result of the big and small
cuts, they saw the year-to-year costs
stay fl at.
Th ey turned the image around
and MARTA was authorized to send
Senate Bill 369, a half-cent sales tax
referendum for the city of Atlanta last
November. MARTA Assistant General
Manager Benjamin Limmer, AICP,
said the rest of Fulton County and
DeKalb County weren’t ready.
“Th e senate bill gave us the option
to go for 2016 or 2017; we opted to
advance to the ballot box November
8, 2016,” said Limmer. “Th at
half-penny was approved with a 72
percent approval.”
WHY IT WAS SUCCESSFUL
“I think it speaks to the general acceptance
of transit now as a player
in economic development and true
placemaking and what makes a
community, a vibrant community,”
Parker said of the change of attitude
toward transit. “When you look at the
highest growth areas in this region
right now, the hottest properties …
they want to live in midtown, they
want to live around the beltline, they
want to live in densly populated places
where they can get around without a
car. Th at they can have a good vibrant
lifestyle, walk into a neighborhood
grocery store, being able to get to the
park riding their bikes and not being
totally beholden to terrible traffi c all
the time.”
“Th e citizens really wanted it,”
Limmer said. “We’ve seen a lot of
support and demand for public transit
and people want more MARTA.
16 | Expo Daily | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | OCTOBER 11, 2017
MARTA has
about 450 CNG
buses but have
been testing
electric buses
from New Flyer,
Proterra and BYD.
Th ey wanted more reliable, frequent
bus service and they wanted an expansion
for rail lines in the city.”
Limmer said, “We took care of our
books, took care of our customers,
kept our system safe and the citizens
got comfortable enough with
where MARTA was as an authority
and that’s why I feel we were so successful.”
Th e session closed in early April
and the vote was in early November,
so MARTA quickly mobilized and
clearly communicated what the public
could receive if they supported the
half-cent sales tax referendum.
In the seven months of outreach
for “More MARTA,” Limmer said
they did their share of public meetings
with PowerPoint presentations,
but they also went to where the people
where. Th ey went to community
events, neighborhood organizations,
and were very engaged with the external
stakeholders. Th ey used social
media and online surveys to get input,
as well.
Bus by the
Numbers
450
CNG buses
in the fleet
30-foot
buses were
added to areas of
lighter ridership
13
routes have been
enhanced this year
