MARTA outlines next-gen bus plan and project timelines, faces council questions on Campbellton and Summerhill

At a Jan. 15 Atlanta City Council Transportation Committee meeting, MARTA Chief Capital Officer Carrie Rocha gave a quarterly briefing on operations, capital projects and the agency’s NextGen bus network redesign, describing service improvements that began in December and a slate of capital projects that are in design, procurement or construction phases.

The presentation outlined MARTA’s goals to improve rail headways and redesign the bus network to provide more frequent, ridership‑focused service. Rocha said MARTA started rail service improvements Dec. 16 to add trains during core hours, and described a draft bus map the agency says would give 21% more jobs reachable within 60 minutes and provide more frequent service to about three times as many residents in some corridors. “The draft redesigned bus map provides access to 21% more jobs within 60 minutes or less for the average commuter,” Rocha said.

The agency also reviewed specific capital efforts: Cleveland Avenue (repackaging after a nonresponsive bid), Summerhill BRT (construction and unexpected shallow utility issues), Clifton Quarter (early feasibility work on an Armour Yards connection), Campbellton BRT (capital investment grant submitted and at 30% design) and station rehab work…