Atlanta

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
{{Main|Transportation in Atlanta}}
{{For|transportation in the Atlanta metropolitan area|Atlanta metropolitan area#Transportation}}
[[File:Atlanta, Georgia Skyline.jpg|thumb|The [[John Lewis Freedom Parkway]] leading to the downtown core.]]
[[File:Marta Rail Breda.jpg|thumb|The [[Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority]] serves the city.]]
[[File:ATL Concourse A.jpg|thumb|Concourse A at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest airport]]
[[File:Bright Atlanta.jpg|thumb|The [[Downtown Connector]], seen at night in Midtown]]

Atlanta's transportation infrastructure comprises a complex network that includes a [[heavy rail]] [[rapid transit]] system, a light rail [[streetcar]] loop, a multi-county bus system, [[Amtrak]] service via the [[Crescent (train)|Crescent]], multiple freight train lines, an [[Interstate Highway System]], several airports, including the world's busiest, and over {{convert|45|mi|0}} of bike paths.<ref>{{cite web|title=Intercity Visit to Atlanta, GA - 2018|url=https://charlotteregion.com/events/2018/06/20/executive-hidden/intercity-visit-to-atlanta-ga-2018/|access-date=February 22, 2022|website=charlotteregion.com}}</ref>

Atlanta has a network of freeways that radiate out from the city, and automobiles are the dominant means of transportation in the region.<ref>{{cite web|title=Atlanta: Smart Travel Tips |work=Fodor's |publisher=Fodor's Travel |url=http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=atlanta@15&cur_section=tra&pg=2 |access-date=September 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018043200/http://fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=atlanta%4015&cur_section=tra&pg=2 |archive-date=October 18, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Three major [[interstate highways]] converge in Atlanta: [[Interstate 20|I-20]] (east-west), [[Interstate 75|I-75]] (northwest-southeast), and [[Interstate 85|I-85]] (northeast-southwest). The latter two combine in the middle of the city to form the [[Downtown Connector]] (I-75/85), which carries more than 340,000 vehicles per day and is one of the most congested segments of interstate highway in the United States.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/2006/02/06/cx_bm_0207trafficslide_6.html?thisSpeed=6000|work=Worst City Choke Points, Forbes |title= Atlanta, I-75 at I-85 |access-date=April 2, 2006|date=February 6, 2006}}</ref> Atlanta is mostly encircled by [[Interstate 285 (Georgia)|Interstate 285]], a [[beltway]] locally known as "the Perimeter" that has come to mark the boundary between "Inside the Perimeter" (ITP), the city and close-in suburbs, and "Outside the Perimeter" (OTP), the outer suburbs and exurbs. The heavy reliance on automobiles for transportation in Atlanta has resulted in traffic, commute, and air pollution rates that rank among the worst in the country.<ref>{{cite news|last=Copeland|first=Larry|title=Atlanta pollution going nowhere|work=USA Today |date=January 31, 2001|url=https://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/2001/2001-01-31-atlanta-pollution.htm|access-date=September 28, 2007|archive-date=October 19, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071019030100/http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/2001/2001-01-31-atlanta-pollution.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Atlanta traffic the worst in America|url=http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/04/28/daily97.html|date=May 1, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bryancountynews.net/archives/4754/ |title=Forbes says Atlanta now most polluted city in U.S. |publisher=Bryancountynews.net |date=November 11, 2009 |access-date=July 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201112941/http://www.bryancountynews.net/archives/4754/ |archive-date=December 1, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The City of Atlanta has a higher than average percentage of households without a car. In 2015, 15.2 percent of Atlanta households lacked a car, and increased slightly to 16.4 percent in 2016. The national average is 8.7 percent in 2016. Atlanta averaged 1.31 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Car Ownership in U.S. Cities Data and Map|journal=Governing|date=December 9, 2014|url=http://www.governing.com/gov-data/car-ownership-numbers-of-vehicles-by-city-map.html|access-date=May 3, 2018|archive-date=May 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511162014/http://www.governing.com/gov-data/car-ownership-numbers-of-vehicles-by-city-map.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority]] (MARTA) provides public transportation in the form of buses, heavy rail, and a downtown light rail loop.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.itsmarta.com/|title=The Official website of MARTA: Atlanta's Transportation Authority|website=itsmarta.com|access-date=February 6, 2023}}</ref> Notwithstanding heavy automotive usage in Atlanta, the city's [[rapid transit|subway]] system is the [[List of United States Rapid Transit systems by Ridership|eighth busiest in the country]].<ref name=APTA>{{cite web|url=http://www.apta.com/resources/statistics/Documents/Ridership/2011_q1_ridership_APTA.pdf|publisher=[[American Public Transportation Association]]|title=Transit Ridership Report – First Quarter 2011|date=May 13, 2011|access-date=February 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709091716/http://www.apta.com/resources/statistics/Documents/Ridership/2011_q1_ridership_APTA.pdf|archive-date=July 9, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> MARTA rail lines connect key destinations, such as the airport, Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, and Perimeter Center. However, significant destinations, such as Emory University and [[Cumberland, Georgia|Cumberland]], remain unserved. As a result, a 2011 [[Brookings Institution]] study placed Atlanta 91st of 100 metro areas for transit accessibility.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/0512_jobs_transit.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/0512_jobs_transit.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live |title="Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA Metro Area", part of "Missed Opportunity: Transit and Jobs in Metropolitan America", Brookings Institution |date=May 2011|access-date=February 13, 2017}}</ref> [[Emory University]] operates its [[The Cliff (Emory)|Cliff]] shuttle buses with 200,000 boardings per month, while private [[minibus]]es supply [[Buford Highway]]. [[Amtrak]], the national rail passenger system, provides service to Atlanta via the ''[[Crescent (train)|Crescent train]]'' (New&nbsp;York–New&nbsp;Orleans), which stops at [[Peachtree Station]]. In 2014, the [[Atlanta Streetcar]] opened to the public. The streetcar's line, which is also known as the Downtown Loop, runs {{convert|2.7|mi|1}} around the downtown tourist areas of [[Peachtree Center]], [[Centennial Olympic Park]], the [[Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park]], and Sweet Auburn.<ref>{{cite web|title=Atlanta Streetcar|url=http://streetcar.atlantaga.gov/|website=Atlanta Streetcar|access-date=April 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308042759/http://streetcar.atlantaga.gov/|archive-date=March 8, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Atlanta Streetcar line is also being expanded on in the coming years to include a wider range of Atlanta's neighborhoods and important places of interest, with a total of over {{convert|50|mi}} of track in the plan.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Flynn|first1=Jason|title=Atlanta Streetcar Plan Approval May Not Matter Much|url=http://atlanta.curbed.com/2015/12/10/9892580/atlanta-streetcar-plan-approval-may-not-matter-much|website=Curbed Atlanta|date=December 10, 2015|publisher=Vox Media|access-date=October 13, 2016}}</ref>

[[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport]] is the world's busiest airport as measured by [[World's busiest airports by passenger traffic|passenger traffic]] and [[World's busiest airports by traffic movements|aircraft traffic]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Jim|last=Tharpe|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/atlanta-airport-still-the-busiest/YAYECFH2YVCEJDXKJREVYSUINM/|title=Atlanta airport still the "busiest": Hartsfield-Jackson nips Chicago's O'Hare for second year in a row|newspaper=[[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|date=January 4, 2007 |access-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref> The facility offers air service to over 150 U.S. destinations and more than 75 international destinations in 50 countries, with over 2,500 arrivals and departures daily.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atl.com/about-atl/atl-factsheet/ |title="ATL Fact Sheet", Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport|date=January 27, 2016 |publisher=Atlanta-airport.com |access-date=February 13, 2017}}</ref> [[Delta Air Lines]] maintains its largest hub at the airport.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.delta.com/index.php?s=43&item=615 |title=Delta Invites Customers to Improve Their Handicap with New Service to Hilton Head, Expanded Service to Myrtle Beach |publisher=News.delta.com |access-date=April 5, 2010}}</ref> Situated {{nowrap|10 miles}} ({{nowrap|16 km}}) south of downtown, the airport covers most of the land inside a wedge formed by [[Interstate 75]], [[Interstate 85]], and [[Interstate 285 (Georgia)|Interstate 285]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.interstate-guide.com/i-285-ga/|title=Interstate 285 Georgia|date=January 19, 2019 |publisher=Interstate-Guide|access-date=October 23, 2021}} The map is on the sidebar which you can click & see the airport wedge.</ref>

[[Cycling in Atlanta|Cycling]] is a growing mode of transportation in Atlanta, more than doubling since 2009, when it comprised 1.1% of all commutes (up from 0.3% in 2000).<ref name="clatl">{{cite web|last=Duda |first=Clay |url=http://clatl.com/atlanta/atlanta-becoming-a-bike-friendly-city/Content?oid=4296245 |title=Atlanta is on the road to becoming a bike-friendly city |work=Creative Loafing|date=November 23, 2011 |access-date=October 16, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2011/09/substantial-increases-bike-ridership-across-nation/161/ |title=Is Bicycle Commuting Really Catching On? And if So, Where? – Commute |publisher=The Atlantic Cities |date=September 16, 2011 |access-date=October 16, 2012 |archive-date=October 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021223406/http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2011/09/substantial-increases-bike-ridership-across-nation/161/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although Atlanta's lack of bike lanes and hilly topography may deter many residents from cycling,<ref name="clatl"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Duda |first=Clay |url=http://clatl.com/atlanta/atlantas-cycling-community-needs-some-help/Content?oid=1571841 |title=Atlanta's cycling community needs some help |work=Creative Loafing|date=June 30, 2010 |access-date=October 16, 2012}}</ref> the city's transportation plan calls for the construction of {{convert|226|mi|0}} of bike lanes by 2020, with the BeltLine helping to achieve this goal.<ref>{{cite web|last=Duda|first=Clay |url=http://clatl.com/atlanta/atlanta-cycling-statistics/Content?oid=1576268 |title=Atlanta cycling statistics |work=Creative Loafing|date=July 1, 2010 |access-date=October 16, 2012}}</ref> In 2012, Atlanta's first "bike track" was constructed on 10th Street in Midtown. The two lane bike track runs from Monroe Drive west to Charles Allen Drive, with connections to the Beltline and Piedmont Park.<ref>{{cite web |title = 10th Street Cycle Track | date=July 24, 2013 |url = http://beltline.org/2013/07/24/10th-street-cycle-track/}}</ref> Starting in June 2016, Atlanta received a bike sharing program, known as [[Relay Bike Share]], with 100 bikes in Downtown and Midtown, which expanded to 500 bikes at 65 stations as of April 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/04/19/atlanta-launches-first-major-expansion-of-relay.html|title=Atlanta launches first major expansion of Relay Bike Share program|website=Bizjournals.com|access-date=April 26, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/atlanta-kicks-off-bike-sharing-with-ride-through-downtown/uUVMn9bcmHEZLyPe4AiQHJ/ |title=Atlanta kicks off bike sharing with a ride through downtown |work=[[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]] |date=June 9, 2016 |access-date=June 4, 2021 |author=Corson, Pete}}</ref>

According to the 2016 [[American Community Survey]] (five-year average), 68.6% of working city of Atlanta residents commuted by driving alone, 7% carpooled, 10% used public transportation, and 4.6% walked. About 2.1% used all other forms of transportation, including taxi, bicycle, and motorcycle. About 7.6% worked at home.<ref name=acs16>{{cite web|publisher=Census Reporter|access-date=May 10, 2018|title=Means of Transportation to Work by Age|url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B08101&geo_ids=16000US1304000,160%7C31000US12060&primary_geo_id=16000US1304000}}</ref>

The city has also become one of a handful of "scooter capitals", where companies like [[Lime (transportation company)|Lime]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://atlantafi.com/how-does-lime-scooter-work-in-atlanta/ |title=How to operate a Lime scooter |publisher=AtlantaFi.com |access-date=May 2, 2019}}</ref> and [[Bird (company)|Bird]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://atlantafi.com/how-to-operate-a-bird-scooter-in-atlanta/|title=How to operate a Bird scooter|publisher=AtlantaFi.com|access-date=June 7, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://atlanta.curbed.com/2018/5/3/17315024/bird-scooters-atlanta-commute-last-mile-connectivity|title=Rentable commute option Bird scooters have now landed in Atlanta|last=Green|first=Josh|date=May 3, 2018|website=Curbed Atlanta|language=en|access-date=November 25, 2019}}</ref> have gained a major foothold by placing electric scooters on street corners and byways.

===Emergency services===
The city is served by the [[Atlanta Police Department|Atlanta Police Department (APD)]], which numbers 2,000 officers<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.myajc.com/news/local/apd-reaches-once-elusive-goal-000-officers/Ao9jWRR0M23HJNKApTJP1L/ |title=APD reaches a once-elusive goal of 2,000 officers|author=Leslie, Katie|newspaper=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=October 25, 2013|access-date=February 13, 2017}}</ref> and oversaw a 40% decrease in the city's crime rate between 2001 and 2009. In 2012, ''[[Forbes]]'' ranked Atlanta as the 6th most dangerous American city but by 2023 the city dropped out of its top 10.<ref>{{Cite web |title=6. Atlanta - 2017-10-04 - Most Dangerous Cities |url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/54f4e712da47a54de8245373/6-atlanta/ |access-date=2023-10-26 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bloom |first=Laura Begley |title=Report Ranks America's 15 Safest (And Most Dangerous) Cities For 2023 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2023/01/31/report-ranks-americas-15-safest-and-most-dangerous-cities-for-2023/ |access-date=2023-10-26 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> Despite some improvement in [[Crime in Atlanta|crime]], [[street gangs]] have continued to plague the city since the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Torpy |first1=Bill |last2=Visser |first2=Steve |title=30 Deep gang roams far, wide |language=English |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/deep-gang-roams-far-wide/gTnhSMj6m2c4KCpjvFDjGM/ |access-date=2023-10-26 |issn=1539-7459}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-11 |title=Gang violence is responsible for nearly 75%-80% percent of crime in Atlanta, Fulton County DA says |url=https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/gang-violence-is-responsible-nearly-75-80-percent-crime-atlanta-fulton-county-da-says/NALC6JVLABHSPFYTEH4TII2WQI/ |access-date=2023-10-26 |website=WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Whittler">{{Cite web |last=Whittler |first=Alex |date=2022-11-21 |title=Atlanta police say tactics in fight against rising gang activity are working |url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/atlanta-police-say-their-increased-gang-fight-is-working |access-date=2023-10-26 |website=FOX 5 Atlanta |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-22 |title=3 gang members arrested after opening fire on rival in broad daylight |url=https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/3-rival-gang-members-arrested-after-opening-fire-each-other-broad-daylight/Y55MHJR2QNAYNP6BCEQ6K6IGPE/ |access-date=2023-10-26 |website=WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta |language=en}}</ref> In 2022, there was a 200% increase in gang-related charges in the city.<ref name="Whittler"/> In 2023, [[Money (magazine)|Money Inc]] named Atlanta the third worst gang city in the U.S.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://moneyinc.com/worst-gang-cities-in-the-u-s/|title=The 20 Worst Gang Cities in the U.S.|first=Dana|last=Hanson|date=March 19, 2023|website=Money Inc}}</ref> Also in 2023, it was estimated that about 1,000 gangs in the Atlanta area were responsible for at least 70% of all crime including [[identity theft]], [[credit card fraud]], and [[human trafficking]]. The [[Georgia Bureau of Investigation]] Gang Task Force in partnership with the APD is leading efforts in dismantling gang activity and arresting culprits.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kousouris |first=Abby |date=2023-06-07 |title=Gang Task Force cracking down on gangs in Georgia |url=https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2023/06/07/gang-task-force-cracking-down-gangs-georgia/ |access-date=2023-10-26 |website= |language=en}}</ref>

The [[Atlanta Fire Rescue Department]] provides fire protection and first responder emergency medical services to the city from its 35 fire stations. In 2017, AFRD responded to over 100,000 calls for service over a coverage area of {{convert|135.7|mi2|1|abbr=off|sp=us}}. The department also protects Hartsfield–Jackson with five fire stations on the property, serving over 1&nbsp;million passengers from over 100 countries. The department protects over 3000 high-rise buildings, {{convert|23|mi|abbr=off|sp=us}} of the rapid rail system, and {{convert|60|mi|abbr=off|sp=us}} of interstate highway.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.atlantaga.gov/government/departments/fire|title=Atlanta, GA : Fire|work=City of Atlanta Online |access-date=April 16, 2018}}</ref>

Emergency ambulance services are provided to city residents by hospital-based [[Grady EMS]] (Fulton County),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grady-ems.org/services/|title=Services – Grady EMS|website=Grady-ems.org|access-date=April 16, 2018}}</ref> and [[American Medical Response]] (DeKalb County).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amr.net/home/dekalb|title=American Medical Response – AMR Medical Transportation|website=Amr.net|access-date=April 16, 2018|archive-date=April 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402102121/https://www.amr.net/home/dekalb|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Atlanta in January 2017 declared the city was a "welcoming city" and "will remain open and welcoming to all". Nonetheless, Atlanta does not consider itself to be a "[[sanctuary city]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://saportareport.com/trump-enacts-ban-refugees-atlanta-doubles-welcoming-city/|title=As Trump enacts ban on refugees, Atlanta doubles down as a 'welcoming city' – SaportaReport|date=January 30, 2017}}</ref> Atlanta Mayor [[Keisha Lance Bottoms]] said: "Our city does not support [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement|ICE]]. We don't have a relationship with the [[U.S. Marshal]][s] Service. We closed our detention center to ICE detainees, and we would not pick up people on an immigration violation."<ref>{{cite news |title=U.S. Cities Prepare For Planned ICE Raids |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/07/13/741118939/u-s-cities-prepare-for-planned-ice-raids-on-sunday?t=1567683134930 |publisher=NPR |date=July 13, 2019}}</ref>