Acknowledging that MARTA’s sagging rail ridership is due, in part, to limited access to the transit system, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens dropped bombshell urbanist news today that four new infill stations are en route to the city.

The announcement, made during Dickens’ annual State of the City address, specified that one of the new MARTA stations will take shape near Murphy Crossing, a Southwest Atlanta location that alternative transportation supporters have long contended is ripe for better rail access.  

A station at Murphy Crossing—a vacant, 20-acre industrial site that’s set to be redeveloped as housing and commercial properties—would mark the first instance of direct connectivity between MARTA rail and the BeltLine’s 22-mile loop at any point across the city.

Dickens restated his belief that access to transit is paramount for creating “healthy, thriving neighborhoods” in this morning’s address.  

“Investments like Murphy Crossing and high-capacity transit on Campbellton [Road] will ensure that residents on the southside will have access to the best Atlanta has to offer,” the mayor stated. “But we’re not going to stop there… I’m announcing today that we are partnering with MARTA to build three additional infill stations throughout the city.”

Where the remaining three infill stations will be located—and how they will be funded—has yet to be revealed, as the AJC reports.

[UPDATE: 2:41 p.m., March 25: We inquired with MARTA about specific infill station locations and funding sources. A spokesperson responds: "MARTA, in collaboration with the City of Atlanta, is committed to advancing the More MARTA Atlanta Program, for the benefit of the region. The establishment of infill stations at key nodes along the Atlanta BeltLine holds great potential to maximize MARTA’s rail system to bring mobility and accessibility to a wider population while fostering future growth and prosperity."] 

Five potential infill station locations pinpointed by the More MARTA transit expansion program that didn’t receive funding, as the newspaper points out, were at Murphy Crossing; near Armour Yards in Buckhead; near the Krog Street Tunnel; between Ashby and Bankhead stations; another between Inman Park/Old Fourth Ward and the King Memorial station; and in Mechanicsville near McDaniel Street.

(In a perfect world, dear readers, where do you think these three stations should go, whether on the list above or not?)

Monday’s announcement marked the second example of major news for Murphy Crossing in a week.

BeltLine officials on Thursday announced that Arizona-based Culdesac and local development firm Urban Oasis Development have been officially approved as the Murphy Crossing development team. That allows BeltLine leaders to enter into a contract with the developers and move forward with key parts of the redevelopment process, including entitlement and community engagement.

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