Blue Line (MARTA)

Last updated

Blue Line
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (logo).svg
Overview
StatusOperational
Locale Atlanta, Georgia
Termini
Stations15 (5 West, Five Points, 9 East)
Service
Type Rapid transit
System MARTA rail
Operator(s) MARTA
Rolling stockSee MARTA rail#Rolling stock
History
Opened1979
Technical
Characterat grade, elevated, underground
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification Third rail,  750 V DC
Route map
Blue Line (MARTA) Blue Line highlighted in blue
Blue and Green lines
BSicon numN090.svg
  Blue  
BSicon KBHFa blue.svg
W5
Hamilton E. Holmes
BSicon PARKING.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u blue.svg
BSicon tBHFa@f blue.svg
W4
West Lake
BSicon PARKING.svg
  Green  
BSicon tSTR blue.svg
BSicon KBHFa jade.svg
P4
Bankhead
BSicon tSTR blue.svg
BSicon etBHFa@f jade.svg
Joseph E. Boone
BSicon tKRWl blue.svg
BSicon tKRW+l jade.svg
BSicon tKRW+r blue.svg
BSicon tKRWr jade.svg
BSicon tBHF cyan.svg
W3
Ashby
BSicon PARKING.svg
BSicon tBHF cyan.svg
W2
Vine City
BSicon PARKING.svg
BSicon tBHF cyan.svg
W1
GWCC/​CNN Center
BSicon tCONTgq orange.svg
BSicon tINT cyan.svg
BSicon tINTq orange.svg
BSicon tCONTfq orange.svg
0
Five Points
BSicon tBHFe@g cyan.svg
E1
Georgia State
BSicon SKRZ-G4o cyan.svg
BSicon LSTR jade.svg
BSicon KBHFe cyan.svg
BSicon BHF blue.svg
E2
King Memorial
BSicon PARKING.svg
BSicon LSTR jade.svg
BSicon exlBHF cyan.svg
BSicon STR blue.svg
Krog Street/Hulsey Yard
BSicon LSTR jade.svg
BSicon lBHF cyan.svg
BSicon STR blue.svg
E3
Inman Park/​Reynoldstown
BSicon PARKING.svg
  Green  
BSicon LSTR jade.svg
BSicon lBHF cyan.svg
BSicon STR blue.svg
E4
Edgewood/​Candler Park
BSicon PARKING.svg
BSicon LSTR jade.svg
BSicon lBHF blue.svg
BSicon tSTRa@f blue.svg
E5
East Lake
BSicon PARKING.svg
BSicon LSTR jade.svg
BSicon lBHF blue.svg
BSicon tSTR blue.svg
E6
Decatur
BSicon lBHF cyan.svg
BSicon tSTRe@g blue.svg
E7
Avondale
BSicon PARKING.svg
BSicon uKDSTaq.svg
BSicon STR blue.svg
BSicon uABZgr+r.svg
Avondale Yard
BSicon TUNNEL1 blue.svg
BSicon BHF blue.svg
E8
Kensington
BSicon PARKING.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u blue.svg
  Blue  
BSicon KBHFe blue.svg
E9
Indian Creek
BSicon PARKING.svg

Wheelchair symbol.svg All stations are accessible
Key
Blue Line
BSicon STRq blue.svg
BSicon STRq jade.svg
Green Line
Blue/Green
(weekdays)
BSicon LSTRq jade.svg
BSicon STRq blue.svg
BSicon STRq cyan.svg
BSicon STRq denim.svg
Blue/Green
(all days)
Red/Gold
BSicon STRq orange.svg
BSicon uSTRq.svg
Yard tracks

The Blue Line is a rapid transit line in the MARTA rail system. It operates between Hamilton E. Holmes and Indian Creek stations, running through Atlanta, Decatur and portions of unincorporated DeKalb County.

Contents

History

What is now called the Blue Line contains some of the first sections of the MARTA rail to open. On February 19, 1975, construction on what was then known as the East Line began. [1] On June 30, 1979, service on the East Line began operating between Avondale and Georgia State. [2] [1] On December 22 the same year, the West Line was opened, between Five Points station and what was then known as Hightower station (now Hamilton E. Holmes station). [1] The combined Hightower-Avondale route became known as the East-West Line. [3]

On December 29, 1992, [1] a branch (then known as the Proctor Creek Line [3] ) of the East-West Line to Bankhead station opened. [4] The following year, on June 26, 1993, Kensington and Indian Creek stations on the East Line opened. [1] This was the first time MARTA rail extended beyond Interstate 285. [4]

In 2009, MARTA introduced a color-coded system of naming for its rail lines. [5] As a result, the former East-West Line became the Blue Line. [6]

Stations

[7] [8]

listed from west to east

StationCodeOpenedRail Line
Transfer
Hamilton E. Holmes W5December 22, 1979 [1]
West Lake W4
Ashby W3 
Vine City W2 
GWCC/CNN Center W1 
Five Points [note 1]    
Georgia State E1June 30, 1979 [1]  
King Memorial E2 
Inman Park/Reynoldstown E3  [note 2]
Edgewood/Candler Park E4  [note 2]
East Lake E5
Decatur E6
Avondale E7  [note 3]
Kensington E8June 26, 1993 [1]
Indian Creek E9

Notes

  1. The platforms for what is now the Red and Gold Lines opened in 1981, two years after the East-West Line platforms.
  2. 1 2 The Green Line only operates here on weekdays.
  3. Only some Green Line trips reach Avondale, and only on weekdays.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority</span> Public transit operator in Metro Atlanta, Georgia

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is the principal public transport operator in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Formed in 1971 as strictly a bus system, MARTA operates a network of bus routes linked to a rapid transit system consisting of 48 miles (77 km) of rail track with 38 subway stations. MARTA's rapid transit system is the eighth-largest rapid transit system in the United States by ridership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Decatur station</span> MARTA rail station

Decatur station is a transit station in Decatur, Georgia, on the Blue Line of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. This station opened on June 30, 1979. In 2005, a major renovation of the Church Street entrance to the station was begun that was completed in 2006. The redesign was intended to allow the station to fit in better with the stores and restaurants in the Decatur square. It has 2 tracks and side platforms that serve each track. It is one of the only stations on the Blue Line that is completely underground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avondale station (MARTA)</span> MARTA rail station

Avondale is a train station in Decatur, Georgia. It is on the Blue Line of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. The station is at-grade and has two island platforms, one for each direction. The center two tracks are not normally used for through service. Because of these middle tracks, it is not uncommon for trains to be bound for Avondale, having passengers change trains at Avondale. A limited number of Green Line trains originate and terminate at Avondale rather than at their normal terminus at Edgewood / Candler Park, though these trains bypass East Lake and Decatur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edgewood/Candler Park station</span> MARTA rail station

Edgewood / Candler Park is a train station in Atlanta, Georgia, on the Blue Line of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. Currently, the station also serves as the terminus of the Green Line on weekdays. On weekends, Green Line service instead terminates two stops to the west at King Memorial. The station opened on June 30, 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Lake station</span> MARTA rail station

East Lake is a transit station in Atlanta and Decatur, Georgia, serving the Blue Line of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. It has a track in each direction serving an island platform. When the station entered service on June 30, 1979, the opening ceremony took place in the south parking lot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buckhead station</span> MARTA rail station

Buckhead is a train station in Atlanta, Georgia, serving the Red Line of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. This station is the first station only served by the Red Line. It is located in the Buckhead neighborhood in the median of State Route 400, a limited access highway, at Peachtree Road/State Route 141. The station is in easy walking distance of many offices, hotels and shopping centers, including Lenox Square, although the Lenox MARTA station provides easier access to the mall. The buc, a zero-fare bus service, also provides transportation to the surrounding area. The Buckhead Station also features Zipcars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GWCC/CNN Center station</span> MARTA rail station

GWCC/CNN Center station is a rail station in Atlanta, Georgia, on the Blue and Green lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. Located on the western edge of Downtown Atlanta, the station officially opened on December 22, 1979. It was originally called Omni station due to its proximity to the Omni Coliseum, which was demolished to build Philips Arena. The station's name expanded in 1992 as Omni/Dome/World Congress Center with that year's opening of the Georgia Dome as well as the Georgia World Congress Center. By the year 2000, the station name had changed to Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center. In June 2019, MARTA held a town hall to gather community input on a new name for the station after the demolition of the Georgia Dome and the renaming of Philips Arena to State Farm Arena. The station was one of five MARTA rail stations that were under consideration for new names in 2019. The name of the station was changed to GWCC/CNN Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vine City station</span> MARTA rail station

Vine City is an at-grade train station in Atlanta, Georgia, serving the Blue and Green lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. It is one of only two stations served by the Green and Blue lines at all times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashby station (MARTA)</span> MARTA rail station

Ashby is a train station in Atlanta, Georgia, serving the Blue and Green lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. It incorporates the use of split platforms, where the westbound platform is on the upper level and the eastbound platform is on the lower level. This is to facilitate the Green Line's split toward Bankhead, immediately west of this station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College Park station (MARTA)</span> MARTA rail station in Georgia, US

College Park is a train station in College Park, Georgia, United States, serving the Red and Gold lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. It opened on June 18, 1988. This station mainly serves College Park and surrounding areas, including Morrow, Riverdale, Clayton County, and South Fulton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kensington station (MARTA)</span> MARTA rail station

Kensington is an at-grade train station in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, serving the Blue Line of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. It has one island platform with 1 track on each side. This station opened on June 26, 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bankhead station</span> MARTA rail station

Bankhead is a train station in Atlanta, Georgia, the western terminus of the Green Line in the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. Bankhead station is located in the Grove Park Neighborhood due to a recent neighborhood expansion. This station primarily serves the neighborhoods of Grove Park, Bankhead, West Lake, Howell Station, and other Westside residents. Bankhead Station provides connecting bus service to Donald Lee Hollowell Highway, Maddox Park, and the future Westside Park at Bellwood Quarry; which will be the largest park in the city of Atlanta

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamilton E. Holmes station</span> MARTA rail station

Hamilton E. Holmes, also known as H.E. Holmes, is a metro station in Atlanta, Georgia, the western terminus for the Blue Line in the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. This is one of the busiest stations in the MARTA system, handling an average of 22,000 boardings per weekday. When the station opened in 1979 it was originally named Hightower station after Hightower Road, but both the road and the station were later renamed to honor civil rights movement hero Hamilton E. Holmes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MARTA rail</span> Rapid transit network in Atlanta, Georgia

The MARTA rail network, a component of the MARTA transit system in Metro Atlanta, has four service lines: the Red, Gold, Blue, and Green lines. The Red and Gold lines mainly run along the North-Northeast corridor, and the Blue and Green Lines run along the West-East corridor. The two corridors connect at the Five Points station, which is the only station where transfers are possible between all four lines. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 31,110,300, or about 96,300 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority was created as the first public mass transit agency in metropolitan Atlanta. Its formation in 1965 was a result of the campaigning efforts of governmental planning agencies and Atlanta businessmen. The system broke ground on its rail system in 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold Line (MARTA)</span> Rapid transit line in Metro Atlanta, Georgia

The Gold Line is a rapid transit line in the MARTA rail system. It operates between Doraville and Airport stations, running through Doraville, Chamblee, Brookhaven, Atlanta, East Point and College Park.

The Green Line is a rapid transit line in the MARTA rail system. It operates between Bankhead and Edgewood / Candler Park stations, running exclusively inside the Atlanta city limits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlanta Streetcar</span> Streetcar line in Atlanta, Georgia

The Atlanta Streetcar is a streetcar line in Atlanta, Georgia. Testing on the line began in summer 2014 with passenger service beginning as scheduled on December 30, 2014. In 2023, the line had 184,500 rides, or about 600 per weekday in the fourth quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in Atlanta</span>

Atlanta's transportation system is a complex multimodal system serving the city of Atlanta, Georgia, widely recognized as a key regional and global hub for passenger and freight transportation. The system facilitates inter- and intra-city travel, and includes the world's busiest airport, several major freight rail classification yards, a comprehensive network of freeways, heavy rail, light rail, local buses, and multi-use trails.

Clayton County commuter rail was a proposed commuter rail line traversing Clayton County, Georgia and connecting with the MARTA rapid transit system at East Point station. After Clayton County joined the MARTA system in 2014, MARTA began studying alternatives for high-capacity transit through the county. After multiple transit modes were evaluated for passenger transit south of Atlanta, commuter rail was selected as the locally preferred alternative in 2018. Stalled negotiations with the Norfolk Southern Railway, who owns the tracks, caused planning to be put on hold. The project was replaced by a BRT system by the Clayton County Board of Commissioners, the City Councils of Jonesboro, Forest Park, Lovejoy, Riverdale and Lake City, and the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce, MARTA Board of Directors Planning and Capital Programs Committee on November 17, 2022 due to a variety of obstacles with right-of-way acquisition, environmental and historical resource concerns, along with a ballooning cost estimate.

References

Template:Attached KML/Blue Line (MARTA)
KML is from Wikidata
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "nycsubway.org: Atlanta, Georgia". www.nycsubway.org. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  2. Sams, Douglas. "Jacoby eyes MARTA rail to Ford site". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  3. 1 2 "East-West Rail Line (and Proctor Creek)". Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. Archived from the original on August 10, 2003. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "MARTA - About MARTA - History". Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. Archived from the original on February 24, 2009. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  5. "MARTA launches color-coded rail system". www.metro-magazine.com. Metro Magazine. October 2, 2009. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  6. "Rail Stations & Schedules". www.itsmarta.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2009. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  7. "Train Stations & Schedules". itsmarta.com. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  8. "Blue Line". itsmarta.com. Retrieved May 14, 2024.