saeedahmed.com

The Olympic Files

thomson network; 07/24/96; rbm; for: southern papers, connecticut, thomson l.a.

WELCOME TO THE GRIDLOCK GAMES

By SAEED AHMED

ATLANTA -- It was touted as the smart alternative to the Olympic traffic gridlock.

But with an increase in daily ridership on its metro rail system from 250,000 to nearly 1 million, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority has proved inadequate in handling the sudden onslaught, and has become a nightmare of its own.

Residents and visitors are complaining about the 1-to-2-hour waits to get through the crowds at MARTA rail stations, the endless delays in service and the claustrophobic crush inside packed passenger cars.

To avoid emergencies, MARTA has asked that riders allow two to three hours to reach their destinations, and exercise patience .

Many believe MARTA is woefully unprepared for the Olympics, and are apprehensive the situation could get tragic as the Games head toward the medal rounds and more visitors pour in.

``It's an accident waiting to happen," Atlanta resident Lydia Walker said. ``There are too many people edged too close to the platform. And when the train comes, they start pushing and shoving each other so hard, I'm surprised no one's been hurt yet."

To keep the crowds orderly, the transit system has deployed an army of volunteers, and has added more than 200 security guards to its police force of 265, said MARTA spokesperson Laura Gillig.

``The team has been placed at fare gate entrances to regulate the number of people inside the stations at one time," Gillig said. ``We also have teams at the platform and on the trains to make sure people don't push and shove."

Despite MARTA's assurances, the stampede of thousands of spectators and commuters trying to elbow their way onto trains continues -- painting a contradictory picture of Atlanta's hospitality to visitors.

``There's a fair amount of verbal altercations and display of brawn that I see every morning," said Monirul Hoque, a management consultant from Thailand here to see the Games. ``There was an instance where I witnessed an old lady in a wheel chair actually being called names because she took up too much space."

Although MARTA is yet to see an incident like the 1991 Braves parade where people were stuck for hours inside Peachtree Station because of pedestrian gridlock in the escalators, the sardine-like conditions have caused some problems.

On Monday, at the station that serves as the main transfer point, the dash toward a train that was delayed almost an hour caused some patrons to fall but narrowly escape trampling.

And last week, at the Georgia Dome, site of the gymnastics and basketball games, a panicky crowd gathered at the base of an escalator during a 20-30 minute delay with no MARTA personnel to guide them.

``I'm sure you'll agree that when you're dealing with 1 to 1.5 million riders a day, it's virtually impossible not to have delays and waits," Gillig said. ``We only ask that people realize that there's no need to jeopardize their safety and those around them by trying to board a train already filled to capacity.

``We will get you where you want to go. So if the trains are crowded, please understand there will be another one soon."