MARTA Clayton Southlake BRT project cleared to enter CIG project development phase

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has cleared Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority’s (MARTA) Clayton Southlake Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project to enter the project development phase of FTA’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program.

The Clayton Southlake BRT project is the first of several projects MARTA says it will advance as part of its MARTA 2040 program with requested CIG funding.

“This is an important milestone for MARTA and the first of many to come as we embark on the largest expansion in our history,” said MARTA General Manager and CEO Jeffrey Parker.

The estimated $300 million BRT project will provide high-capacity transit service connecting the College Park MARTA Station to several key destinations in Clayton County including Airport Gateway, Shops of Riverdale, Southern Regional Medical Center campus, Mount Zion commercial corridor and Southlake Mall.

Features of the BRT system will be similar to those found in rail investments including dedicated transit lanes, more frequent service, BRT-focused stations and transit-oriented development opportunities. The project would also include 13 new BRT-branded stations with offboard fare collection, the purchase of 10 BRT-branded electric buses and associated electric vehicle charging infrastructure and the installation of transit signal priority equipment at key intersections.

“Clayton County residents will benefit from the Southlake BRT because it will make a trip from College Park to Southlake Mall 19 minutes faster, making it easier to access jobs, healthcare and entertainment throughout the region,” said Clayton County Chairman Jeff Turner. “I’m excited that this is MARTA’s first application for federal transit funds in decades.”

The recent federal Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act, which reauthorized surface transportation programs for five years, included a change championed by U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) to increase the eligibility for Small Starts to $400 million and increase the maximum amount of federal funding from $100 million to $150 million. These changes will ensure that the Southlake BRT project is eligible and potentially leverage more federal funding to support it.

MARTA received support from the Clayton County Board of Commissioners in November to advance the project, and because the CIG program is competitive and timely entry into the pipeline is critical to success, the MARTA Board of Directors voted to move on the project earlier this month. If entry into project development is granted, next steps include CIG budget request to Congress in August, completion of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) next December, and construction underway in summer 2024 with an operational date in 2026.