Click here to view the November 10th virtual links.

Georgia Institute of Technology invites you to take participate in a survey-based research study to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on transportation services. We all have experienced significant changes in the way we move due to COVID-19 but what does this mean to our willingness to share rides? This study and the information you give us can help researchers better understand the impact of COVID-19 on transportation services.
To participate in this survey, you must be 18 years of age or older and residing in the US. As your participation is completely voluntary, you may stop at any time and for any reason. We will comply with any applicable laws and regulations regarding confidentiality. Your identity will never be publicly disclosed, your information will only be used for this study, and all identifying information will be kept in one secure location at the Georgia Institute of Technology. We hope that the lessons learned from this research will help to make transportation more meaningful for people throughout the Atlanta area and across the nation.

This brief survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete. Please click the link below to proceed to the survey site:https://gatech.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d6cNq0OEIJZoeSV

From Georgia Power…

I wanted to reach out to you all this morning to inform you of the error in the automated outage alert system that was issued last night.  While Georgia Power expects power to be restored to 95% of customers impacted by Hurricane Zeta by Sunday night, we expect the great majority of customers to be restored before then.  We apologize for the miscommunication.  We know being without power is difficult, especially now and are working to restore power as safely and quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience.

Currently, there is approximately 227,000 customers without power across Northwest and Northeast Georgia, including all of Metro Atlanta.  Based on the impact of Hurricane Zeta across the Southeast and other storm activity in the country, the availability of additional resources from other utilities to assist with restoration efforts in Georgia has been limited.  We anticipate additional resources from other parts of the state to be available to assist today.

Damage from Hurricane Zeta is similar to the damage seen after Hurricane Michael impacted the state in 2018. Damage includes broken poles, damaged transformers and numerous spans of wire down. Teams are also experiencing challenges including downed trees and roads blocked that must be cleared to enter certain areas. Damage assessment following widespread impacts from Hurricane Zeta continues across impacted areas around Georgia and must be completed as an essential step to efficiently and effectively allocate resources.

Regional restoration estimates will be available as soon as assessment work is completed.  I will continue to keep you updated.  We remain committed and vigilant to getting power restored to our customers as quickly as possible with safety being our top priority!

Regards,

Christopher T. Williams

Atlanta Area Manager

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) is closely monitoring the current power outages in the metro Atlanta area and the impact on virtual teaching, learning, and teleworking. Given the uncertainty of when power will be restored for many of our students and staff, Friday, October 30, will be a non-instructional day for students and a remote workday for APS teachers and other district staff. Students have access to online tools for any self-guided work and should use this time to complete homework or address incomplete assignments. Administrative staff will have access to District buildings on Friday, and essential workers, including custodians, maintenance workers, transportation staff, and school resource officers are expected to report to their worksite at their usual time to help with recovery efforts.

The status of any previously planned activities on school campuses will be determined by local schools, and a decision about any athletic activities scheduled for Friday, October 30 will be made on Friday afternoon. Parents, caregivers, and employees at APS charter schools are encouraged to contact their schools directly for scheduling information.

APS is expected to resume virtual learning and normal operations on Monday, November 2.

Please see the message below regarding Georgia Power’s storm restoration efforts.  In the Atlanta area, there are approximately 64,000 GPC customers without power.  Early assessment teams have already identified over 30 broken poles and 50 spans of power lines that will need to be repaired.  As our damage assessment teams continue surveying the damage, we are assigning resources to restore power ASAP.  As estimated restoration times become available, they will be posted on the outage maps at the link below.

https://outagemap.georgiapower.com/

Customers, can also use this link to sign up for outage alerts: https://customerservice2.southerncompany.com/Outages/Overview?mnuOpco=GPC

This is a major event with many downed trees and power lines. Complete restoration will likely take a few days.

From Park Pride…

ActivateATL, the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation new 10-year Comprehensive Master Plan. Click here to check out our project website!

As an update, we have officially completed the first phase of public engagement and reviewed all the community input we heard. We have also visited all City of Atlanta parks and recreation centers to collect baseline data about their conditions. This information will be used to develop the existing conditions and priorities assessment. We are now entering the Visioning phase and will come back to the community with this vision for another round of public engagement in early Spring 2021.

We are staying connected with the community via social media, our monthly e-newsletter, and our new app, HappiFeet – Atlanta Parks. We also have a new survey that will provide even more insight into community priorities.
I would appreciate your support in sharing this information within your NPU. Could you please help me spread the word about our new survey, newsletter, and app? Everything is linked here:

5-Min. Image-Based SurveyWe are asking for the public to take our short visual preference survey to provide more insight into the findings from the first phase of public engagement. We heard there was interest in health & wellness, aquatics, trails, and more – we want to find out more about what you mean!
Sign Up for the ActivateATL E-NewsletterStay updated with all things ActivateATL – sign up for our monthly e-newsletter!
HappiFeet – Atlanta Parks AppDownload this app to send feedback, photos, videos, maintenance requests, or any questions directly to DPR.

Top Ranking Report for September 2020. This report includes the total number of requests by request type.

MARTA LAUNCHES PILOT PROGRAM WITH UBER

MARTAConnect Will Provide Rides on Election Day to Customers Impacted by Reduced Bus Routes; Will Continue After Nov. 3 During Planned and Unplanned Interruptions on Rail System 

ATLANTA – The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is partnering with Uber for a one-year pilot program to provide customers greater flexibility and more options for their transportation needs when normal MARTA service is disrupted. MARTAConnect will offer on-demand app-based rides for customers during specific planned and unplanned rail service disruptions that require supplemental bus transportation.

“MARTA is proud to launch this program on Election Day, recognizing that we serve 20 percent fewer polling locations across our jurisdictions while we are still in Essential Bus Service due to COVID-19. MARTAConnect2Vote will help ensure that customers trying to reach the 99 polling places on suspended bus routes can vote,” said MARTA General Manager and CEO Jeffrey Parker. “Moving forward, MARTAConnect will be a great resource for riders to keep them moving when we undergo state of good repair work on the system or when unforeseen service issues arise.”

Customers unable to get to their polling precinct due to a suspended bus route can access a link to a two-trip $16 voucher ($8 per trip) that can be downloaded to their Uber app and used to subsidize their trip to and from the polls. The voucher works only for the 99 voting precincts not covered by the Essential Service Plan, and the customer is responsible for any amount over $8 per trip. The voucher is valid from 5 a.m. until midnight on Nov. 3 and the eligible precincts have been geo-fenced to ensure vouchers are used for their intended purpose. Visit www.itsmarta.com/MARTAConnect for a list of eligible polling places and information on other transportation options if your precinct is not listed.

After Election Day, MARTAConnect will be available to customers impacted by planned or unplanned service disruptions on the rail system that require supplemental bus transportation. Planned disruptions include state of good repair work such as scheduled track maintenance, and unplanned disruptions include situations such as a power outage or a trespasser on the tracks. During these disruptions, MARTA will provide an Uber voucher so customers may travel to the next rail station that isn’t impacted and continue their trip. The voucher will range from $3 to $10 and be geo-fenced to the station or stations impacted. If a customer chooses to take Uber to their destination rather than return to the rail system, they will be responsible for any cost beyond the value of the voucher.

“Uber is proud to partner with MARTA to help transport citizens to and from the polls so that they can exercise their constitutional right to vote,” said

David Reich, Head of Uber Transit. “This program demonstrates MARTA’s continued commitment to serving their community with innovative solutions that put their riders first.”

The MARTAConnect2Vote voucher is available now for download but is not valid until Nov. 3. Subsequent vouchers will be available for use during planned disruptions and when unplanned disruptions arise. Customers can access a link to the MARTAConnect voucher on the platforms below and should contact MARTA’s Customer Care Center at 404-848-5000 with any questions.

www.itsmarta.com/MARTAConnect

Twitter – @MARTASERVICE