Atlanta, MARTA planning additional stations, cost unclear

(The Center Square) — Atlanta and Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority officials appear poised for one of the largest additions to the city’s rail transit system in decades.

On Monday, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced “that we are going to build a brand new MARTA rail station at Murphy Crossing,” a more than 20-acre site on the Atlanta BeltLine’s Westside Trail.

“But it gets even better. This new station will not only bring rail access to Murphy Crossing, it will for the very first time connect MARTA rail to the Beltline,” the mayor added, according to his prepared remarks. “Investments like Murphy Crossing and high-capacity transit on Campbellton Rd will ensure that residents on the southside will have access to the best Atlanta has to offer.”

Dickens said the “current MARTA rail system is underutilized, in part, because we don’t have enough stations located where our residents need them most.”

“So, in addition, I’m announcing today that we are partnering with MARTA to build three additional infill stations throughout the City,” the mayor added. “A better, more accessible rail system is key to Atlanta’s future.”

Specific details about the stations, including their cost and timeline, are unclear. However, officials will likely use money from the More MARTA Atlanta Program, a half-penny sales tax voters approved in 2016, to fund the initiative. A spokesperson for the mayor did not respond to a request for more details on the proposal.

“MARTA, in collaboration with the City of Atlanta, is committed to advancing the More MARTA Atlanta Program, for the benefit of the region,” a MARTA spokeswoman told The Center Square. “The establishment of infill stations at key nodes along the Atlanta BeltLine holds great potential to maximize MARTA’s rail system to bring mobility and accessibility to a wider population while fostering future growth and prosperity.”