MARTA to start $230M Five Points Station upgrade

(The Center Square) — The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is about to embark on a roughly $230 million Five Points Station upgrade that officials say will transform the station into “a vibrant city center.”

The agency is funding the 18-month-long project at the station that serves as the transfer point between its north-south and east-west lines with $13.8 million from the state, a $25 million federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity — or RAISE — Grant and proceeds from the More MARTA Atlanta half-penny sales tax.

Earlier this month, MARTA reopened its Airport Station following a six-week closure for a $55 million station overhaul as part of a systemwide, roughly $1 billion multi-year Station Rehabilitation Program to overhaul all 38 stations.

“Transforming our hub will have a direct impact for customers currently using MARTA and make transit a more attractive choice for those who live nearby,” MARTA General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood said in a statement. “Encouraging use of public transit to destinations surrounding Five Points reduces the need for surface parking downtown, allowing spaces to be redeveloped as affordable housing, green spaces, and other amenities that improve quality of life and enhance a city landscape.”

While rail service will not be impacted by the project, street access to the station will be closed starting July 29. The project’s first phase includes razing the concrete canopy, and future phases include constructing a new canopy, establishing a centralized bus hub and reconnecting Broad Street to pedestrian traffic.