MARTA announces alternate service due to planned Georgia Dome implosion

MARTA will suspend all rail service west of Five Points Station after normal operations at 1:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 20, in preparation for the planned implosion of the Georgia Dome. The 25-year-old facility will be imploded at 7:30 a.m.

MARTA, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, City of Atlanta and other agencies are working on the temporary service plan to help ensure a seamless, safe commute for MARTA riders.

A portion of MARTA’s train tunnels lay almost directly under the implosion site, situated just west of downtown Atlanta, and two rail stations—Dome and Vine City—sit within the blast safety zone. Both stations will close to all rail, bus, and parking services during the event.

Beginning at 4:30 a.m., MARTA will provide three bus shuttles to connect passengers to Five Points Station:

• The Blue line will run east and west from Five Points to Hamilton E. Holmes, with stops parallel with or at MARTA rail stations;
• The Green line will run east and west along the Proctor Creek Line to Bankhead Highway;
• An express bus line (Purple) will provide a non-stop ride between Five Points and Hamilton E. Holmes. Buses on the Blue and Green lines will run approximately 10 minutes apart. The Purple express bus line will run every 5-7 minutes.

MARTA Mobility vehicles will be stationed at the Walmart in the Historic Westside Village, located at 835 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, to help transition riders between the Blue and Green bus lines.

Riders can expect normal Red/Gold weekday rail service, and rail service east of Five Points. Bus services will also continue without suspension with one exception – Route 94 Northside Drive – which will follow a special events route around the implosion safety zone.

The temporary bus service is free and MARTA will provide all riders with a complimentary round-trip ticket to be used on a future fare.

The Blue/Green lines will remain suspended and express bus services will remain in place until the westerly rail lines and stations clear comprehensive safety checks.

MARTA staff and MARTA Army volunteers will be on hand to help riders navigate their commute during the temporary outage. Riders are encouraged to use the On the Go smart phone app, visit www.itsmarta.com and follow the agency’s Facebook and Twitter pages for service changes and announcements.