The Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant (CIG) Program recently advanced Atlanta’s Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority’s (MARTA) Clayton Southlake Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project to the development phase of as a Small Starts Project.
The $338 million BRT project will connect the College Park MARTA Station to multiple Clayton County destinations. Work will include the construction of 13 new BRT-branded stations with offboard fare collection, the installation of transit signal priority equipment at key intersections, and the purchase of 10 BRT-branded electric buses and associated electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Community benefits include transit-oriented development opportunities, more frequent service, and dedicated transit lanes.
“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,” Clayton County Chairman Jeff Turner said.
The federal Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act increased eligibility for Small Starts to $400 million. The Southlake BRT project is eligible to be awarded up to $150 million.
In November, the Clayton County Board of Commissioners and the MARTA Board of Directors advanced the project.
Construction is expected to begin during the summer of 2024, and the line is expected to become operational in 2026.