Atlanta
UMR Index
Score: 59.1%
Sustainable Mobility
Score: 41.9%
Public Transit
Score: 48.1%
| Population | 5.8 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 7,400 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 783 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 88,089 |
What Atlanta Does Well in Urban Mobility
Atlanta’s multimodal public transit system provides fast and affordable service to its residents. The city began construction in 2023 on a new, five-mile (eight kilometers) Bus Rapid Transit system with 14 new stations that is expected to be completed in 2025.
The city is a leader in mobility innovation in part due to continued government investment in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technologies. In April 2023, the city entered into a public-private partnership with a car rental company to expand EV charging infrastructure.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index, Sustainable Mobility and Public Transit scores
Challenges and Opportunities for Atlanta’s Transportation System
Atlanta has struggled to promote active mobility modes, like walking and cycling, as residents prefer cars. Poor cycling infrastructure and lack of car-free zones have impeded progress. Despite efforts to make cycling safer and more convenient, it has not taken off.
With the combination of residents opting to drive and highway-heavy roadways, Atlanta has become infamous for large volumes of traffic accidents and fatalities. However, Georgia has a 2024 traffic management plan that will establish road safety goals and emphasize where improvements can be made.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
How Atlanta Can Improve Its Public Transportation and Sustainable Mobility
Despite a strong state EV incentivization and subsidy program, Atlanta still lags in sales, with a market share four times smaller than that of San Francisco. Atlanta can add incentives like tax breaks, registration fee and toll exemptions, or special access lanes to encourage EV purchases. Charging station availability is another major factor in EV purchase decisions, and to offer a top regional charging network, it would need to multiply its charging station density by fivefold.
Many Atlanta residents are faced with lengthy walks to rail (MARTA) stations and bus stops. To improve station density and encourage ridership, the city can add routes and stops for buses and streetcars to help connect residents with MARTA stations — a cost-effective improvement that would help lower walking distances and overall commute times. Extending existing MARTA lines and adding new lines — which is already underway — will be key, but that effort will be a time-intensive and expensive undertaking.