Everyone has their own way of getting home at 3:45 p.m. whether it be by school bus, carpool, or driving home themselves. While people may have their gripes with their mode of transportation, one mostly unnoticed method is through Atlanta transportation: MARTA. It may not be the fan favorite but it gets the job done, bringing students to and from school.
The worst part of riding MARTA is having to wait on the small, somewhat uncomfortable bench, rain or shine, located in front of the school. The bench was given years ago by a North Atlanta parent worried for the safety of the students as cars rushed by. Before North Atlanta moved from the Northside location to its current campus, there was conversation to turn the grassy spot into a legitimate bus stop platform. However, the project never made it off the ground, leaving more to be desired for the comfort and safety of students.
Recently, APS Board of Education member Jennifer McDonald decided to tackle this issue that came to her attention as she began her campaign. Through discussions with the members of the North Atlanta community, the matter had been brought to her in hopes of actions and solutions. The reality of the situation became more apparent as McDonald, along with the chief operating officer and former superintendent, walked around the district searching for visual aids from parent complaints. “It became evident that the area was lacking in basic necessities,” said McDonald. “A change was clearly needed.”
A task this daunting does not happen overnight. Since September 2021, McDonald had been advocating for the construction of a station from MARTA, making it nearly two years of emails, requests, and patience from the Board. Its leisurely pace was mostly due to the permit acquiring process to build the station, which can take as little as a few days to as long as several months. Charles Rosa, the senior transit systems planner at MARTA, completed this project as part of an additional one thousand requests for stations across Atlanta. Many other areas just like North Atlanta are home to stations surrounded by hazardous infrastructure, and the call for new construction directly displays the power of constant advocacy for community improvement. “Anybody can submit a request for a shelter, bench, or whatever the case may be,” said Rosa. “At the very least a bench can usually be put in place.”
After a smooth building process and lots of traffic blocking, a station was finally born at the front of the North Atlanta High School. The completion of this project places a full station with both a bench and a roof to cover students’ heads. The worries of oncoming traffic harming MARTA riders were abandoned and students now look forward to safe travels from place to place. “As both a parent and a Board member, I’m very appreciative that we were able to get this project off the ground,” said McDonald.
The construction has marked a beneficial change for North Atlanta MARTA riders—students and teachers alike. With a new roof to cover their heads and more than a simple bench, the platform will hopefully improve the MARTA riders’ transitional periods between home and school.
