“Our city’s transportation landscape is dynamic, mirroring the diverse growth and evolution of Atlanta’s neighborhoods. Both legacy and emerging communities have immediate transportation needs that deserve effective solutions,” Dickens said in a statement.
“It is imperative that our transportation investments are strategically and equitably deployed to increase ridership on MARTA’s heavy rail network and bus system fostering a more connected and unified Atlanta,” he said.
The four infill station locations were part of a list of possible expansions to the transit system under the More MARTA program approved by Atlanta voters in 2016.
The three-page administrative order gives insight into how the new stations will link together MARTA’s existing infrastructure and also includes plans for a new bus rapid transit route between Ponce City Market and Bowen Homes.
But what isn’t described in detail is how the city is going to pay for the new stations or a timeline for kicking off construction. The order directs city officials to identify potential funding sources — including local, state and private revenue options. It also calls for a community engagement effort to make sure the new transportation projects fit into the landscape of Atlanta’s existing neighborhoods.
Debate around whether the city should move forward with long-standing plans to install rail along the city’s iconic Beltline trail ramped up ahead of the mayor’s State of the City address. Rumors swirled about whether Dickens would scrap or back the idea of mass transit along the pedestrian corridor.
MARTA officials told Atlanta City Council members in March that the new infill stations aren’t going to replace plans to extend the eastside streetcar — a $230-million project that’s seen as the first step in plans to install light rail along the Beltline. The administrative order doesn’t shed much light on whether rail plans will continue but does directly call for continued…
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