A local transit advocate is using legal pressure in an effort to hold the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) accountable for bus transit cuts in the early months of the pandemic.
"DeKalb County resident Ed Williams has asked a Fulton County Superior Court judge to order the [MARTA] transit agency to restore 70 bus routes it eliminated in April to promote social distancing and focus service on key corridors," reports David Wickert.
"Williams also has filed a complaint with the Federal Transit Administration, saying MARTA’s actions were illegal and disproportionately affected minority customers," adds Wickert.
MARTA eliminated 70 of its 100 bus routes in April, and has already restored some bus service, but has yet to set a timetable to fully restore service. The decision to eliminate service during the pandemic as a result of public health requirements and in response to plummeting ridership has been common among transit systems around the country.
According to Wickert, the lawsuit claims that MARTA lacked the authority to cut service without public input.
FULL STORY: Lawsuit seeks restoration of MARTA bus routes
The Realities of Pandemic Public Transit Service
Recent analysis by TransitCenter quantifies the effects of the pandemic for the 150 largest U.S. transit systems.
D.C. Metro Seeks Public Input on Proposed Service Cuts
D.C. Metro Seeks Public Input on Proposed Service Cuts
Post-Pandemic Transit Plan Announced in San Francisco
The recently announced post-COVID plan for public transit in San Francisco looks a lot different than the pre-COVID days.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Research: Walkability Linked to Improved Public Health
A study reveals that the density of city blocks is a significant factor in communities’ walkability and, subsequently, improved public health outcomes for residents.
Report Outlines Strategies for Resilient Wildfire Recovery in LA
Project Recovery offers a roadmap for rebuilding more sustainable and climate-resilient communities after wildfires and other disasters.
New Executive Order Renews Attack on Public Lands
An order issued late last week pushes for increased mineral extraction on federally owned public lands.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Florida Atlantic University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland