On June 3, 2024, a coalition of organizations called for MARTA to maintain pedestrian, bus, and ADA access at Five Points Station during its four-year construction project. Coalition members include transit advocacy groups, neighborhood organizations, and groups supporting older adults and those with disabilities.

Sign the petition to keep Five Points Station accessible!

ATLANTA, GA — June 5, 2024 — Propel ATL is joining a coalition of organizations calling for MARTA to maintain pedestrian, bus, and ADA access at Five Points Station during its four-year construction project. Coalition members include New Disabled South, disABILITY LINK, Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association, Propel ATL, Georgia Conservation Voters, Georgia STAND-UP, Georgia Sierra Club, MARTA Army, ThreadATL, TransFormation Alliance, Candler Park Neighborhood Organization, Carver Market, Atlanta Bike Grid, and Focused Community Strategies.

This closure will have an undue effect on the lives of the 17,000 pedestrians and bus riders who rely on Five Points to access the MARTA heavy rail system. While likely to affect all riders, commuters, and travelers, the impact will likely be most disproportionately felt by Black and brown communities, low-income riders, seniors, and people with disabilities.

The coalition urges MARTA:

1. Prioritize safe access for people of all ages and abilities within the Five Points Station without adding a required “bus bridge” from one station to another for people with mobility challenges. 
2. Keep at least one point of entry to the station open for pedestrians throughout construction.
3. Do not re-route bus riders to other stations.

“Atlantans share the right to travel freely to schools, jobs, and essential services,” said Propel ATL executive director Rebecca Serna. “That is why MARTA must maintain pedestrian, bus, and ADA access at Five Points Station, which is the hub of the entire system, for the duration of its redesign. Failing to do so will unnecessarily block people’s access to a service they depend on each day.” 

Contact Name: Rebecca Serna

Contact Email: [email protected]

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The letter, addressed to MARTA's General Manager & CEO, Collie Greenwood:

Dear CEO Greenwood, 

As transit advocates, we recognize and appreciate the vital role of MARTA in our region’s transportation network. We can also appreciate the nuance, compromise, and complexity of major public works projects, however, we are deeply concerned to hear about MARTA’s plans to close the Five Points Station to pedestrian and bus access until 2028 (with the notable exception of the 2026 FIFA World Cup). Seventeen thousand pedestrians and bus riders rely on Five Points for access to the MARTA heavy rail system, and this closure will severely impact their daily lives. This impact is anticipated to be most disproportionately felt by Black and brown communities, low-income riders, seniors, and people with disabilities.

A customer traveling westbound who typically accesses MARTA on foot via Five Points will have to walk or roll 17 extra minutes—each way—on their daily commute to get to the GWCC Station. A rider traveling to Lindbergh Station after taking a bus from South DeKalb will be forced to perform an additional transfer to the East-West line at King Memorial and then to the North-South line at Five Points, adding significant travel time to their trip. Perhaps most egregiously, passengers traveling westbound from East Lake Station who need the elevators to transfer lines could incur 45 minutes of additional travel time each way. Under the current plan, those passengers would have to ride past Five Points, board a mobility shuttle at Peachtree Center, transfer to the train at the Georgia State Station, and then head westbound, adding a transfer to a low-frequency bus. 

It is imperative that any transformation to the Five Points Station must maintain pedestrian, bus, and ADA access for the duration of the project, even if it extends the project timeline. Five Points is the heart of the system; your riders depend on it. Access should not only be restored for the World Cup; it needs to remain open every single day.

We urge MARTA to consider the following:

1. Prioritize safe access for people of all ages and abilities within the Five Points Station, without adding a bus bridge or additional delay to transfers for people with mobility challenges. 
2. Keep at least one point of entry to the station open for pedestrians throughout construction.
3. Do not re-route bus riders to other stations.

We acknowledge that these requests will have significant impacts, may delay the project completion, and could necessitate other adjustments. However, they are essential to the well-being of riders, the City of Atlanta, and the MARTA system.

Thank you for your leadership and consideration of these important matters.

Sincerely, 

New Disabled South

disABILITY LINK

Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association

Propel ATL

Georgia Conservation Voters

Georgia STAND-UP

Georgia Sierra Club

MARTA Army

Propel ATL

ThreadATL

TransFormation Alliance

Candler Park Neighborhood Organization

Carver Market

Atlanta Bike Grid

Focused Community Strategies

Sign the petition to keep Five Points Station accessible!