MARTA ridership jumps 25 percent after I-85 bridge collapse

Ridership on the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority's (MARTA) system soared 25 percent last week Friday following the fire and bridge collapse on Interstate 85, according to MARTA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Keith Parker.

Sales of MARTA's Breeze fare payment cards soared 80 percent, according to Parker's Twitter account.

After the bridge collapsed on northbound I-85, MARTA increased rail services to accommodate commuters looking for alternatives to driving.

Specifically, MARTA increased the frequency of trains at the Five Points station to every five minutes and to every seven minutes on the Red Line, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.