FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2022
MARTA HAS SUCCESSFUL WEEK
IN WASHINGTON, WINS MILLIONS IN FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR EXPANSION PROJECTS
Clayton County O&M
Facility, Electric Bus Fleet Get Federal Boost
ATLANTA – Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)
leaders arrived in Washington, D.C. for the annual American Public
Transportation Association (APTA) Legislative Conference in the midst of a
series of federal successes. The federal fiscal year 2022 spending bill, passed
by the Senate Thursday, March 10, included support for three MARTA initiatives:
- Senator Reverend Raphael
Warnock secured $5 million for the Clayton Operations & Maintenance
Facility.
- Senator Jon Ossoff and Senator
Warnock secured $3.85 million for additional electric buses for MARTA’s
fleet.
- Congresswoman Lucy McBath
secured $1 million for the Brookhaven Station rehabilitation.
And today, Monday, March 14, the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) announced an additional $15 million grant for the Clayton
Operations & Maintenance Facility under the Bus and Bus Facilities Program.
“As we embark on our largest expansion program in decades,
MARTA is excited about this news and grateful for the support,” said MARTA
Interim General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood. “The Clayton O&M facility
has now been awarded $33 million in total federal funds, which underscores the
value and importance of this project.”
“Strengthening
MARTA’s presence in Clayton County helps create
jobs, provide commuters with affordable options to get around, bolster the local economy and combat climate change,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.
The
Clayton O&M Facility will support 31
regional bus routes and over 250 buses, while increasing efficiency and
reducing operational costs. It will include bus maintenance, cleaning,
and fueling facilities, transit operations and administrative offices, and a
MARTA Police Precinct. The project is estimated to support over 350
construction jobs, as well as more than 700 new permanent jobs.
Building on a 2019
FTA grant for Low and No-Emission buses, MARTA’s no-emission electric fleet
also received a federal boost with $3.85 million secured by Senators Warnock
and Ossoff. The omnibus bill includes a Congressionally Directed Spending process
that allows MARTA to purchase six new electric buses, bringing the total fleet
to a dozen. MARTA plans to continue transitioning to electric by seeking
additional funding made available as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“The future of MARTA’s
bus fleet is electric, which will help combat climate change and reduce public
health impacts from air pollution, especially in vulnerable populations. MARTA
thanks Senator Ossoff for his leadership in requesting and securing this money
to support MARTA’s second purchase of electric buses,” said Greenwood.
Senators Ossoff
and Warnock have been true champions of public transit and MARTA. They, and the
entire Georgia Delegation were featured earlier this year at the annual State
of MARTA event as Transit Force Superheroes in a video that highlighted their
“pet” projects and celebrated their accomplishments. Click here to watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SQk4X2xxqg&t=61s.