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First Atlanta Streetcar vehicle returns to downtown route

MARTA returned the first Atlanta streetcar vehicle to service Thursday after repairing its wheels. (File photo by CHRISTINA MATACOTTA FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION).

Credit: Christina Matacotta

Credit: Christina Matacotta

MARTA returned the first Atlanta streetcar vehicle to service Thursday after repairing its wheels. (File photo by CHRISTINA MATACOTTA FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION).
By
March 2, 2023

Three months after MARTA removed all Atlanta Streetcar vehicles from service over safety concerns, one of them began rolling again Thursday.

MARTA removed all four streetcar vehicles from service on Nov. 29 after engineers discovered wheel degradation that posed a safety risk. The agency is spending $400,000 to replace the vehicles’ wheels.

After repairs, the first vehicle returned to service Thursday. The remainder are expected to be back in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, MARTA will continue to operate shuttle vans along the downtown streetcar route to supplement the one streetcar vehicle.

“After a couple of days of testing, the streetcar is ready to resume its route,” MARTA Chief Operating Officer George Wright said. “We ask that everyone who works, lives or visits downtown to be mindful that the streetcar is back and to stay clear of its tracks.”

About the Author

David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.

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