Atlanta’s first new transit line in forever won’t be fully open for World Cup

Josh Green

Mon, 04/28/2025 – 08:16

When it comes to Atlanta’s first new transit line in a quarter-century, the unfortunate hits just keep coming.

The first of several planned bus-rapid-transit lines MARTA hopes to build around Atlanta and beyond city limits has encountered another significant hurdle—construction costs that have more than doubled initial projections—in addition to other fresh hiccups, the AJC reports.

It all means the Rapid A-line project, a five-mile BRT loop between downtown and a Peoplestown endpoint near the Beltline’s Southside Trail corridor, won’t be fully open in time for Atlanta’s month of 2026 FIFA World Cup matches next summer.

Unforeseen construction issues—especially shallow, unmarked, nonsensical waterlines in downtown and along Hank Aaron Drive—have pushed the project’s expected cost up to $122.9 million, MARTA officials say. The BRT route was initially slated to cost $58 million, but the price tag started swelling before the first shovel met dirt.

A surprise, forgotten parking garage beneath downtown streets and the discovery of old trolley tracks have also gummed progress on the Rapid A-line. Another recent setback involved the discovery of mysterious bones the Atlanta Police Department had to investigate; those are now believed to be horse remains, per the newspaper.

MARTA has recently brought the situation to city officials who must approve significant budget increases. City officials, in turn, have asked MARTA for a detailed budget and expenditures breakdown on the Rapid A-line project and others. Before the revised budget can go to MARTA’s full board, the city must approve it, per the AJC.

Proposed BRT route just north of GSU’s stadium. via MARTA, March 2022 presentation

MARTA’s original timeline called for breaking ground on the BRT project in August 2022 and beginning service in 2024. But from the outset, the project was dogged by skyrocketing building and labor costs, in addition to issues stemming from MARTA’s inexperience with creating new transit lines in recent decades. More recently, MARTA was forecasting construction on the Rapid A-Line would wrap up sometime this spring, with passenger service beginning later this year.

Once the line is built and open, buses are expected to arrive with frequencies between 10 minutes (daytime peak hours) and 20 minutes (late nights and weekend mornings). MARTA has estimated that 2,350 riders will use the service on a daily basis, and that traveling the full route from Five Points station to Carver will take between 12 to 15 minutes.

The project is being funded by the $2.7-billion MORE MARTA half-penny sales tax for transit approved by voters in 2016 and a federal TIGER grant.

According to the AJC, MARTA is now at risk of losing the $12.6 million federal grant funding if the revised construction plan doesn’t move forward in May, as that money is required to be spent by the end of September, and about $4 million remains in that coffer.

via MARTA, March 2022 presentation

Should MARTA’s broader plans come to fruition, the Rapid A-line would be just the beginning for BRT transit options around the city.

Beyond the downtown-Peoplestown BRT line, MARTA is moving forward with BRT transportation along the Clifton Corridor near Emory University, on Campbellton Road in Southwest Atlanta, and in Clayton County. Another four-station BRT route up Ga. Highway 400 with service to Roswell and Alpharetta is also being studied.

Below is the most recent look at what’s to come—eventually—between South Downtown and Peoplestown:

The 14-stop Summerhill BRT route revealed by MARTA in August. via MARTA

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Atlanta’s first new transit line in forever won’t be fully open for World Cup

Josh Green

Mon, 04/28/2025 – 08:16

When it comes to Atlanta’s first new transit line in a quarter-century, the unfortunate hits just keep coming. The first of several planned bus-rapid-transit lines MARTA hopes to build around Atlanta and beyond city limits has encountered another significant hurdle—construction costs that have more than doubled initial projections—in addition to other fresh hiccups, the AJC reports. It all means the Rapid A-line project, a five-mile BRT loop between downtown and a Peoplestown endpoint near the Beltline’s Southside Trail corridor, won’t be fully open in time for Atlanta’s month of 2026 FIFA World Cup matches next summer. Unforeseen construction issues—especially shallow, unmarked, nonsensical waterlines in downtown and along Hank Aaron Drive—have pushed the project’s expected cost up to $122.9 million, MARTA officials say. The BRT route was initially slated to cost $58 million, but the price tag started swelling before the first shovel met dirt. A surprise, forgotten parking garage beneath downtown streets and the discovery of old trolley tracks have also gummed progress on the Rapid A-line. Another recent setback involved the discovery of mysterious bones the Atlanta Police Department had to investigate; those are now believed to be horse remains, per the newspaper. MARTA has recently brought the situation to city officials who must approve significant budget increases. City officials, in turn, have asked MARTA for a detailed budget and expenditures breakdown on the Rapid A-line project and others. Before the revised budget can go to MARTA’s full board, the city must approve it, per the AJC.

Proposed BRT route just north of GSU’s stadium. via MARTA, March 2022 presentation

MARTA’s team says a phased opening of the BRT route could put part of it in service in April, or in time for World Cup festivities that begin in June next year. According to current projections, the rest of the route would open in September 2026. MARTA’s original timeline called for breaking ground on the BRT project in August 2022 and beginning service in 2024. But from the outset, the project was dogged by skyrocketing building and labor costs, in addition to issues stemming from MARTA’s inexperience with creating new transit lines in recent decades. More recently, MARTA was forecasting construction on the Rapid A-Line would wrap up sometime this spring, with passenger service beginning later this year.Once the line is built and open, buses are expected to arrive with frequencies between 10 minutes (daytime peak hours) and 20 minutes (late nights and weekend mornings). MARTA has estimated that 2,350 riders will use the service on a daily basis, and that traveling the full route from Five Points station to Carver will take between 12 to 15 minutes.The project is being funded by the $2.7-billion MORE MARTA half-penny sales tax for transit approved by voters in 2016 and a federal TIGER grant.According to the AJC, MARTA is now at risk of losing the $12.6 million federal grant funding if the revised construction plan doesn’t move forward in May, as that money is required to be spent by the end of September, and about $4 million remains in that coffer.

via MARTA, March 2022 presentation

Should MARTA’s broader plans come to fruition, the Rapid A-line would be just the beginning for BRT transit options around the city. Beyond the downtown-Peoplestown BRT line, MARTA is moving forward with BRT transportation along the Clifton Corridor near Emory University, on Campbellton Road in Southwest Atlanta, and in Clayton County. Another four-station BRT route up Ga. Highway 400 with service to Roswell and Alpharetta is also being studied. Below is the most recent look at what’s to come—eventually—between South Downtown and Peoplestown:

The 14-stop Summerhill BRT route revealed by MARTA in August. via MARTA

…Follow us on social media: Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram • Summerhill news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)