State gives Atlanta more time to address streetcar problems

ATLANTA (AP) State officials have given Atlanta more time to submit plans to address the city's streetcar problems.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (http://on-ajc.com/1Q9uA7A ) reports that the Georgia Department of Transportation on Wednesday gave Atlanta an extra two weeks to correct the streetcar problems and with the threat of shutting it down. In a letter, the GDOT gave the city and MARTA until June 28 to comply with its request regarding a slew of problems uncovered in recent audits.

Last month, GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry set a June 14 deadline for the city and MARTA to address 60 problems. It ranged from poor maintenance procedures and inadequate staffing to a failure to properly investigate accidents.

City officials submitted plans to fix 41 of the problems and asked for another month to address the others.