Commuters in Atlanta, brace yourselves. The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is set to resume its extensive transformation project at the central Five Points Station come May 17. Previously on pause for additional strategizing, the project is back to fundamentally change one of the busiest transit hubs in the city, according to a report from FOX 5 Atlanta.
The first order of business in this $230 million makeover is to remove the large concrete canopy that currently stands above the station. To make room for the revamp, several downtown bus routes are to be detoured or relocated starting May 17, notably including Routes 3, 40, 813, among others. Route adjustments will also necessitate the temporary relocation of the MARTA RideStore, Lost & Found, and several other customer service offices come June 6. Precise new locations have yet to be publicly announced, WSBTV has reported.
As per the funding break-down, the bulk of this renovation budget is shouldered by the More MARTA Atlanta half-penny sales tax. The state of Georgia is chipping in with a $13.8 million contribution, with a further $25 million arriving from a federal RAISE grant. The essential remainder will come from MARTA's core penny tax. This financial strategy underpins a series of envisioned upgrades that include not only the aforementioned canopy but also expanded pedestrian pathways, a centralized bus hub, and an injection of both public art and urban agriculture.
For transit users, the impact begins promptly with the rerouting of buses. Those frequenting Routes 3, 40, and 813 among others will find their stops moved to Forsyth Street, while a few others like Routes 26, 42, and 816, will be detoured to maintain service to downtown. In the aim to continue operating without significant disruption, regional bus services like CobbLinc, Ride Gwinnett, and Xpress are to run as scheduled. Amidst the forthcoming changes, regular rail service and transfers at Five Points are expected to operate without interruption, ensuring that for the most part, riders can to continue their commutes unimpeded during construction.
