MARTA, Atlanta break ground on region’s first BRT line
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) and Atlanta, Ga., celebrated the start of construction on the region’s first bus rapid transit (BRT) line, which will be part of the authority’s planned MARTA Rapid service.
The five-mile Summerhill BRT will connect downtown Atlanta to the Capital Gateway, Summerhill, Peoplestown and the Atlanta BeltLine, with trips every 10 to 12 minutes. The route will feature 14 stations with level boarding, real-time arrival information and off-board fare collection.
“We are excited to celebrate this milestone in the More MARTA Atlanta Program and get started building the region’s first BRT line in this vital city corridor,” said MARTA General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood. “This line will provide an efficient connection between historic city neighborhoods, job centers, Georgia State and our rail system and will be the benchmark for future BRT lines in metro Atlanta.”
When the Summerhill BRT line opens in 2025, a trip from Five Points south to Carver will take between 12 and 15 minutes aided by dedicated bus lanes with transit signal priority along 85 percent of the corridor. The line will also be served by a fleet of electric buses.
“BRT is the future of transit. I’ve spearheaded BRT projects in other cities and seen it transform communities,” added MARTA Chief Capital Officer Carrie Rocha. “BRT can be built faster and at lower cost, bringing the amenities of rail service while remaining flexible in ways rail is not. I’m excited to get started building the first BRT in the region!”
The Summerhill BRT line is funded through a $12.63 million federal TIGER Grant that was awarded through the programs Fiscal Year 2017 round and the More MARTA program with the city of Atlanta.
“Investments in transit are really investments in our people, communities and future,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “I came into office with a long-term vision to assure that all our residents would share in Atlanta’s growth and prosperity and transit equity is a huge part of that charge.”
In addition to the Summerhill BRT, MARTA is planning additional BRT projects for the Campbellton Corridor, Southlake, State Route 54, Clifton Corridor and on GA 400. Each BRT line will be assigned a different color name that will be determined later, and the BRT service will operate as MARTA Rapid.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
