MARTA and the City of Atlanta will host a groundbreaking for the region’s first bus rapid transit (BRT) line in the Summerhill neighborhood on June 15 starting at 11 a.m.
Referred to as the Summerhill/Capitol Avenue BRT during the planning process. MARTA will also announce the name of its BRT system during the groundbreaking at the northeast corner of Hank Aaron Drive and Georgia Avenue.
The five-mile BRT line will connect Downtown Atlanta to Capitol Gateway, Summerhill, Peoplestown, and the Beltline, with connections to MARTA’s heavy rail system at Five Points, Georgia State, and Garnett Stations.
The high-capacity transit line will have new electric buses and operate in 85 percent dedicated lanes with transit signal priority. Fourteen BRT stations along the route will feature off-board fare collection so you can pay before you board, real-time service information, and level boarding, along with other amenities consistent with rail stations.
“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 said in a statement. “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.
The BRT line is funded through a federal TIGER Grant and the More MARTA Atlanta half-penny sales tax. Construction will begin immediately.
Learn more about the project here MARTA (itsmarta.com) and to see BRT in action visit MARTA (itsmarta.com).