Jonathan Hunt, interim general manager and CEO for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, told the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 4 that system ridership has returned close to pre‑pandemic levels and that MARTA plans several capital and service changes aimed at growing and stabilizing those gains. "We continue to see a cyclical increase in riders on all other modes of transit and rail," Hunt said during the quarterly briefing.

Hunt reviewed near‑term design and procurement timelines for two Arterial Rapid Transit corridors: Buford Highway and Candler Road. He said MARTA released a solicitation for the Buford Highway final design consultant on June 26 and expects to award the contract in 2026, issue construction bids in mid‑2027 and begin construction in late 2027. The Candler Road ART final‑design selection is still underway with an anticipated award in 2026.

On transit hubs, Hunt said MARTA has onboarded a final‑design consultant for the South DeKalb Transit Hub and is coordinating closely with DeKalb County. He warned that recent Georgia Power utility work added a utility pole over property designated for the hub, increasing projected costs and forcing design revisions. The Stonecrest Transit Hub final design solicitation is paused pending funding, but remains in MARTA’s 10‑year capital improvement program.

Hunt described several planning efforts: a transit study tied to I‑285 express lanes with GDOT (contract extended one year to finalize station locations), ongoing technical work on the MARTA Rapid Clifton BRT, and review of the Armor Yard feasibility study as a potential terminus alternative to Lindbergh. "Negotiating with the railroad can be challenging," he said, noting MARTA is engaging real‑estate consultants with railroad experience as it proceeds.

Hunt also gave a timeline for customer‑facing changes: MARTA will roll out its Better Breeze next‑generation fare system in April 2026 (accepting cards, mobile wallets and contactless payments) and launch a redesigned bus network the same month with more frequent "red" lines and simplified transfers. MARTA Reach, an on‑demand shared vehicle service, will operate in five DeKalb zones and is intended to bridge ambulatory seniors and low‑density corridors into the fixed‑route network.

On station projects, Hunt said the East Lake Station north pedestrian bridge is complete and the south bridge is in the parking lot awaiting rail inspector allocation; the installation will require a multi‑week closure of the south entrance. The Kensington Station TOD master plan is advancing, with an RFP to identify a developer planned before 2026 and a reported $10 million ARC grant to support parking and bus bay expansion.

Chief Kreher provided MARTA Police updates and enforcement details. He said MPD is CALEA‑accredited, recently filled 268 full‑time sworn positions and has added 30 approved sworn roles (10 of which were filled last week). He said serious crimes on the system have declined compared with prior years and that MARTA maintains a real‑time crime center that monitors roughly 3,000 cameras. Chief Kreher explained suspension policies ranging from 12‑hour suspensions for low‑level rule violations to year‑long suspensions and permanent bans for repeated or serious offenses; those suspension records are entered into MARTA’s CAD system and are visible internally.

Commissioners pressed MARTA officials about outreach, accessibility for seniors and vulnerable riders, and station cleanliness. Hunt said pop‑up events at Avondale and Decatur stations, plus targeted outreach to senior centers, are effective ways to reach current riders; he said mobility ridership has markedly increased (he estimated mobility service is well above pre‑pandemic figures and that the service is often fully subscribed). On questions about diversion and mental‑health responses, Chief Kreher said MARTA coordinates with Atlanta’s diversion center and local mental‑health providers to reduce arrests for low‑level incidents and to divert people into treatment where appropriate.

Hunt committed to follow‑up with commissioners on several requests, including projected annual ridership for Buford Highway ART, the Armor Yard feasibility study, and station‑level crime statistics that may require a one‑on‑one discussion because of sensitivities around operational security. The MARTA briefing closed with a request to share outreach materials with commissioners for constituent communications and a note that officials will return for the next quarterly update.