For those who have visited MARTA’s Five Points Station recently, the idea of an overhaul may be a welcome one. Just in time, MARTA has been awarded a $25 million grant through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program.
The project will include structural upgrades to improve connectivity, safety and enhance quality of life for downtown residents. The funding through the RAISE grant is just a piece of the more than $200 million project funded through the More MARTA Atlanta sales tax, with additional funding from the state through the Georgia Transit Trust Fund.
“Here in the best state to live, work, and raise a family, we’ve worked hard to build strong partnerships between state and local transportation agencies, the private sector, and all levels of government so hardworking Georgians can easily get to home, work, and anywhere beyond,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “I’m proud our efforts have been recognized with this grant, and I look forward to seeing its impact – as well as that of our own investments – on transforming this MARTA station into a hub for travel, commerce, and culture.”
The station’s renewal will come just as some of the projects at the Centennial Yards gulch project are near completion. That 50 acre area adjacent to Five Points Station will ultimately have between 3,000-5,000 apartment units.
“Our flagship Five Points MARTA station is a not just a transit hub – but also an economic engine – for our capital city and the surrounding region,” said Speaker David Ralston. “This significant federal grant demonstrates the importance of this investment in our transit infrastructure. Our state government will continue to partner with MARTA on initiatives like this to spur job creation and expand economic opportunity for all Georgians.”
MARTA and the City of Atlanta have agreed on goals of removing the canopy in the center of the station, a centralized bus hub – a frequent want by drivers trying to get through on Peachtree Street, public greenspaces, and generally opening it up more to create a more inviting and active space. Deconstruction will begin in 2024, with a project completion of 2028. Bus and rail service will continue to operate during the construction, with the city’s first bus rapid transit line opening in 2025 with a connection to Five Points.
“Transit has proven essential in creating equitable opportunity and sparking development in the metro Atlanta region,” said MARTA Interim General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood. “The resounding, bipartisan support for this project from the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, and now federal government underscores its importance and the long-term economic impacts that go beyond the renovation of a rail station and reveals the true transformative nature of transit.”
The announcement from MARTA did not say whether the overhaul would include any measures for litter or homelessness in the area, one of the main issues for the station that may not be fixed with a simple physical overhaul.
