MARTA's busiest rail station, Five Points in downtown Atlanta, is showing its age.

For the past three decades, tens of thousands of people a day have tromped through the massive four-story structure, heading to work in nearby office towers or switching between the east-west and north-south train lines.

Hyosub Shin/AJC (ENLARGE)

Much-needed greenery has improved the ambience at the Five Points station, which serves as MARTA's front door.

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But time and all that traffic have taken their toll. The bathrooms became dirty and smelly. A veneer of dirt and grime covers many surfaces — as do the remains of untold pieces of chewing gum ground into the floor.

The station, essentially MARTA's front door, is due for a big-time cleaning, says Beverly Scott, MARTA's new general manager.

Five Points is "the heart of our system, this is our house," said Scott. "We're going to make Five Points [a place] where people always, always feel comfortable, that they know we are honored that they are our guests."

The overhaul has already begun. New lighting is being installed and some areas have been power washed.

The most notable upgrade so far: MARTA landscapers have installed planters all over the main concourse, providing a dash of much-needed greenery to the gray, austere space.

Expect similar spiffing-up to take place at all of MARTA's other rail stations as part of a systemwide clean-up effort.

• The big sign: The bizarre, hulking sign hanging from the top of the Five Points station is likely on the way out. Originally installed as a solar-powered information sign that displayed the time and temperature, it hasn't worked in decades. Scott calls it a "monstrosity," saying it's time "to get the doggone thing working or get it out." At this point, she says, no one has been able to figure out how to use it, so plans are to remove it.
• Other repairs and upgrades: Broken signs will be repaired. New "area maps" are in place to show visitors what's around the station and help them better orient themselves when they exit. And broken customer service and emergency telephones will be repaired.
• Gum removal: MARTA plans to remove all those icky dollops of used chewing gum that are embedded throughout the station's floors. It's not an easy job. MARTA officials say a special cleaning process is needed to pry up the fossilized blobs.
• Renovated bathrooms: MARTA plans to spruce up the bathrooms on the main concourse and staff them with attendants. The transit system closed the bathrooms in 2006 after spending more than $1 million to install 12 automatic, self-cleaning toilets, but Scott, MARTA's general manager, said riders deserve access to regular bathrooms that are clean.