ATLANTA — Some residents in downtown Atlanta say a popular bus service has outgrown its space and created a traffic mess.
"It started with a couple of buses, now it's up 20 or 30 a day or maybe more," said downtown Atlanta resident Mark Miller. "It's way too congested."
Megabus, a discount passenger bus line, uses the Civic Center Marta station for its multiple daily pick-ups and drop-offs. Miller says those, combined with shuttle buses, cars, and pedestrians, create a mess.
"I've seen four buses here at a time and each bus could have between a hundred or more folks,” Miller said.
Miller, who lives in nearby high rise, says traffic is backed up every night and cars are double-parked. He shot cellphone video of buses crossing over the double lines to get around it all.
Plus, Megabus customers really have nowhere to go except the sidewalks. They don't have access to any facilities.
"It does create a bottleneck on a daily basis,” said Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall.
Hall said Megabus' popularity is a good thing, but something the city needs to address.
This month, Hall proposed an ordinance that would give the city the authority to regulate Megabus traffic and determine a better location.
"We've got to come up with a solution that works for all the stakeholders who are unintentionally impacted by the congestion," Hall said.
Megabus said they're closely working with the city and MARTA on a solution. Spokesman Sean Hughes wrote, "Megabus.com is eagerly waiting for MARTA to announce a request for proposal that has been discussed for months as a potential resolution."
Megabus also says they pay an off-duty Atlanta police officer at the location seven days a week for eight hours a day to make sure the location is safe for their passengers.
"It's just totally outgrown its space,” said Miller.