MARTA board approves plan to extend Atlanta Streetcar to Beltline

ATLANTA — MARTA approved Thursday night to extend the Atlanta Streetcar route to the Beltline, a plan that has been met with some controversy.

The route will run east along city streets to the Beltline, then north along the trail to Ponce City Market, and includes five stations.

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The MARTA board of directors approved the plan Thursday 8-0 with two members from DeKalb County and Clayton County abstaining from the vote.

MARTA says the plan now moves to the final design phrase, where the transit authority will look at proposals from different companies. A design will be chosen by July with construction expected to begin in 2024.

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Before the vote, the MARTA board heard from the public about the expansion. One neighbor in the Castleberry Hills neighborhood requested the board delayed the vote as they await the results from an Irwin Street study.

“That’s a very important study in regard to the entire streetcar route and how it will be able to perform in mixed traffic,” he said.

Some commenters voiced their concerns and questions about the project, including the costs and construction timing. The board said no federal funding will be used for the extension and the City of Atlanta will fund it.

But others urged the board to go through with the vote, including Matthew Rao with the Beltline Rail Now group.

“We can fulfill the promise of more MARTA and end the paralysis of discussing whether and if and change that to when and how,” he said.

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