Transportation in Atlanta
Several major transportation and logistics firms are headquartered in Atlanta, including Delta Air Lines, Norfolk Southern Railroad, and United Parcel Service.
In 1836, the state of Georgia decided to build a railroad to the Midwest and chose as the terminus a location that is now Downtown Atlanta.
Between 1845 and 1854, rail lines arrived from four different directions and Atlanta quickly became a commercial center and transportation hub for the south.
[3] By the end of 1949 Atlanta had 453 trolleybuses, the largest fleet in the United States,[3][4] but Georgia Power had been losing money on the system since the 1920s.
Four local businessmen formed the Atlanta Transit Company (ATC) and purchased the transportation properties on June 23, 1950.
In late 1962 ATC operated 273 trolleybuses on 39 routes, but they decided to phase them out to avoid the expense and difficulty of replacing the extensive fleet and stringing overhead wires in new service areas.
[5][7] ATC continued operating bus services until it was bought by the newly-formed Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) in 1971.
These freeways cut directly through many established communities, often intentionally targeting black neighborhoods like Sweet Auburn.
[9] Like other urban renewal projects, these decisions reinforced a pattern of displacement and disinvestment in minority communities, and further entrenched de facto segregation in Atlanta that can still be seen today.
[11] Additional in-town freeway routes were proposed in the early 1960s but cancelled after significant public backlash lasting over 30 years.
While these projects were widely viewed at the time as necessary and impressive feats of engineering, modern transportation advocates feel that this overemphasis on car infrastructure has contributed to air and noise pollution, urban sprawl, and congestion.
In April 2020, the Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) committed to developing a Vision Zero action plan to reduce traffic fatalities.
Xpress operates 27 regional commuter bus routes connecting outlying cities and towns to Downtown and Midtown Atlanta.
The Georgia Institute of Technology operates the Stinger Shuttles, providing service around its campus, the Midtown MARTA station, and neighboring communities.
Intercity bus services are operated by Megabus and Greyhound Lines, departing from outside the Garnett MARTA station downtown.
At the Atlanta Peachtree Station, Amtrak offers daily intercity train service on its Crescent route between New Orleans and New York City.
[1][21] Atlanta is well known for its traffic; in 2023 it was found to have 3 of the top 15 biggest trucking bottlenecks in the country (a fourth was located in nearby McDonough),[22] and to be one of the worst for car commuters.
Peach Pass toll lanes have been introduced as part of the GDOT's Major Mobility Improvement Program (MMIP).
Cycling is a growing mode of transportation in Atlanta, taking 1.1% of all commutes in 2009, up from 0.3% in 2000,[28] and organizations like Propel ATL continue to lobby for increased accessibility to bicyclists.
[citation needed] Additional multi-use trails currently being developed throughout Atlanta include the PATH400 and the Peachtree Creek Greenway.
Stops are proposed at Northridge, Holcomb Bridge, Mansell, North Point Mall, Old Milton, and Windward Parkway.
Terminal F) Forest Park, Fort Gillem, Clayton State, Morrow, Southlake and Jonesboro with Justice Center and Lovejoy a later phase.
