Buford Highway, one of metro Atlanta's most packed and diverse corridors, is officially in line for a major transit upgrade. MARTA has picked HNTB to handle final design for an Arterial Rapid Transit line running between Lindbergh Center and Doraville, a move that inches the long-discussed project closer to construction and day-to-day reality for riders.
The agency has issued a Notice of Intent to Award contract AE50544 to HNTB Corporation for "Final Design Services of the Buford Highway Arterial Rapid Transit," with an award amount of $4.7 million covered by a mix of local capital and federal funds, according to MARTA's bid portal. The corridor already carries heavy ridership and a dense mix of businesses and homes, and the new rapid service is expected to shape daily commutes along the stretch.
The appointment was also reported by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, which highlighted Buford Highway as a multicultural corridor and noted that it is served by MARTA’s busiest bus line, Route 39. Local riders and business owners have pushed for faster, more reliable service on the corridor for years, so the shift into final design is drawing plenty of attention.
What Final Design Will Include
Final design will lock in station locations, passenger amenities and traffic treatments aimed at speeding buses, including transit signal priority, queue-jump lanes and all-door boarding. The work will also produce the construction documents contractors will eventually build from, according to MARTA. The agency’s materials show early station concepts and describe outreach in multiple languages as part of the project’s community engagement effort.
Next Steps And Timeline
With HNTB brought on for final design, MARTA will shift from concept work into detailed engineering and permitting, while continuing public outreach. The procurement notice, posted June 25, signals that the agency will begin sequencing final design tasks before pinning down construction funding and schedules, according to MARTA's bid portal.
Because Buford Highway is a state route, MARTA says it will coordinate closely with the Georgia Department of Transportation on any roadway changes and signal work, a key detail for communities where sidewalks, crosswalks and small businesses sit close to curbside bus stops, according to MARTA. Riders and advocates are likely to scrutinize the final design phase for firm timelines and block-by-block changes that could make trips faster and safer along one of the region's busiest transit corridors.
