Atlanta

GDOT gives city passing grade on plans to improve streetcar safety

ATLANTA — The state Department of Transportation has given the city of Atlanta and MARTA a passing grade on their first set of proposals to fix the Atlanta streetcar.

As a result, the immediate threat to shut down the system is over.

READ: State gives Atlanta more time to address streetcar problems

Tuesday's green light covers about two-thirds of the problems the state ordered the city and MARTA to correct.

The rest of the 25 planned fixes are currently under state review, but for the moment the big news is the state is not acting on its

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The city and MARTA got the news in a letter from Georgia Department of Transportation commissioner Russell McMurry, whose agency has oversight responsibility for the $99 million streetcar system.

Frustrated with long delays in correcting problems pointed out long ago, the state gave MARTA and the city an ultimatum last month: Give us a plan to fix the problems or we'll shut the system down.

In a letter to the city Tuesday, McMurry wrote:

“At the present, we are satisfied with the Atlanta streetcar's progress in the submission of the (plans) and sponsors to the findings. We no longer anticipate issuing a cease operations order.”

READ: State threatens to shut down Atlanta Streetcar

Despite the good news for the city Tuesday, another problem is all the empty seats on the streetcar, even during the height of Atlanta’s tourist season.

Channel 2 investigative reporter Richard Belcher road the streetcar Tuesday for the full half-hour ride along the full 2.7-mile loop. He saw only 11 other passengers, and only two of them were tourists. But the few who did ride gave the streetcar high marks and don't want it to close.

“It’s very convenient for me, parking over near Auburn Avenue for free and then taking the trolley up,” one rider told Belcher.

WATCH: Atlanta streetcar getting questions on safety and security

Mayor Kasim Reed sent Belcher a statement Tuesday saying, “I extend my thanks to my partners at the Georgia Department of Transportation for recognizing the substantial and sustained progress made by the city, by MARTA and by Central Atlanta Progress."

The state says it will review the other proposed fixes and have a response July 15.