MARTA: First new transit line in decades to launch service soon

Following eight years of planning and more than two years of construction, MARTA’s first new transit line in 25 years is weeks away from rolling out, according to transit officials. 

MARTA today announced its Rapid A-Line—the first bus rapid transit route in metro Atlanta—will be launching in two phases this year as part of the agency’s NextGen Bus Network.

The first official day of service for the five-mile BRT loop with be Saturday, April 18, per MARTA officials. 

Expect daily service hours from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Buses will operate in dedicated lanes with transit signal priority in sections of the route where construction is finished. 

Where construction is still underway, MARTA will use temporary bus stops for passengers near future stations. 

MARTA officials say information on temporary bus stop locations, along with Better Breeze fare payment and general riding instructions, will be released soon. 

The second phase of the Rapid A-Line launch is scheduled for this fall, once all 14 BRT stations on the route are complete.  

Each station will feature real-time service info, level boarding, and off-board payment with the new Better Breeze system, among other features, per MARTA. 

The rapid bus service will link downtown Atlanta to Capitol Gateway, Summerhill, Peoplestown, and the Beltline’s Southside Trail project (still under construction, but aiming to fully open prior to June). Connections to MARTA’s heavy rail system will come at three points: Garnett, Georgia State, and Five Points stations. 

The BRT project has been plagued with challenges since its 2023 groundbreaking. Those have included the surprise discovery of old infrastructure during excavation work and now a battery recall on the electric buses MARTA has purchased to operate on the transit line, officials said today. 

The latter issue could mean that supplemental vehicles will be deployed to help provide initial services, per MARTA. 

Beyond the Rapid A-Line project, MARTA is moving forward with BRT transportation along the Clifton Corridor near Emory University, on Campbellton Road in Southwest Atlanta, and in Clayton County. Another multi-station BRT route up Ga. Highway 400 with service to Roswell and Alpharetta is also being studied. 

Below is the most recent look at what's to come this year between South Downtown and Peoplestown: 

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MARTA’s streetcar extension stance

On a related transportation noted, MARTA officials released a statement today insisting the paused, controversial Atlanta Streetcar East extension project—which would implement light rail transit on the most patronized Beltline section—remains a priority for the broader More MARTA Program, though its spigot of funding has been turned off for now. 

That statement reads, in full: 

“MARTA understands that recent news surrounding the [Atlanta] Streetcar East extension has raised questions about the project and concerns regarding transparency. As the transit operator in the region, our goal is to address current and future transportation needs, and ensure residents are involved in this important process.

The More MARTA Atlanta Program is aligned with the Atlanta Transportation Plan and the city’s efforts to build upon a layered, integrated, regional transportation network. Advancing this infrastructure requires creativity, sustained partnerships, and the time needed to align key stakeholder priorities with technical and funding requirements. Transit has always been part of the Beltline plan, and the Streetcar East extension project remains a priority for the More MARTA Program.

Roles and responsibilities for planning, funding, and implementing Beltline transit are defined by the 2020 Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Atlanta and MARTA, which governs the activation and use of More MARTA funding. The agreement establishes a joint decision-making framework through authorized committees that guide planning, design, construction, and operations for More MARTA–supported projects. As part of this structure, leadership from MARTA, the City of Atlanta, and [Beltline] serve on the Program Governance Committee. The group convenes monthly, and its meetings are conducted with established protocols in a transparent manner.

On March 13, 2025, during a public MARTA Board of Directors meeting, the city announced plans to reprioritize Atlanta Beltline light rail. 

How the planned Atlanta Streetcar extension's Ralph McGill stop could relate to Fourth Ward Project's offices, per an earlier study. Kimley-Horn/MARTA 2040; via Vimeo

As such, on May 27, 2025, during a Program Governance Committee meeting, the committee decided to temporarily pause the funding of two ongoing streetcar feasibility studies. The committee agreed that since the project was at 30 percent design, the most prudent course of action was to hold expending more funds until a reprioritization of projects could occur and a path forward determined. 

This decision was consistent with the IGA process, and board notification is not required. However, MARTA is in the practice of updating its board on a variety of projects, even when it is not required.

As discussions continue around the reprioritization of More MARTA projects, updates will be shared. Final policy decisions and approvals related to the More MARTA Program rest with the City of Atlanta and the MARTA Board of Directors, and we will continue to communicate outcomes and next steps as they move through the process.  

MARTA will continue to work closely with the [city and Beltline officials] to advance solutions that improve connectivity, mobility, and access for residents across Atlanta.” 

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