FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
June 22, 2023
MARTA SELECTS FIRM FOR FINAL DESIGN OF STREETCAR EAST
EXTENSION
ATLANTA
- The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Board of Directors
Planning and Capital Programs Committee today selected the team led by
architecture and engineering firm HDR to complete the final design for the
Streetcar East Extension. HDR has extensive experience with streetcar
projects, having provided engineering, architectural, environmental, and
construction work on streetcar projects in over 30 cities in North America.
The
More MARTA Atlanta program has been gaining momentum with the groundbreaking of
MARTA Rapid bus rapid transit in Southeast Atlanta last week, and the Cleveland
Avenue and Metropolitan Parkway arterial rapid transit projects beginning
construction later this year.
“MARTA
is keenly focused on delivering the nine priority projects identified in the
recent resequencing process by 2028,” said Carrie Rocha, Chief Capital Officer
for MARTA. “Moving into final design is a critical milestone for this project.”
The
Streetcar East Extension will cost approximately $230 million and is funded
through the More MARTA Atlanta half-penny sales tax. Construction on the
extension will get underway in 2025 with service scheduled to begin in 2028.
“We’re excited to continue to partner with
MARTA and the City of Atlanta on this priority project to fulfill the promise
of high-quality transit on the Atlanta BeltLine and bring more accessibility to
all,” said Clyde Higgs, President and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. “We look
forward to additional community conversations around the Streetcar design as it
progresses toward final design.”
The MARTA board recently
finalized the alignment for the two-mile extension, which runs along Edgewood
Avenue, Randolph Street, Auburn Avenue, and Irwin Street to the Atlanta
Beltline, then turns north to Ponce City Market, with five stops along the
route.
MARTA’s Office of
Diversity and Inclusion assigned a 26 percent Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
(DBE) goal on this procurement. HDR has committed to exceeding the assigned
goal on this project with a 30 percent goal.
To learn more about the
Streetcar East Extension visit Streetcar
East Virtual Meeting (scoutfeedback.com).
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