Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced Monday the largest expansion to MARTA’s train network in decades with four new stations expected to join the public transit system, including one at a large development project along the Beltline.
One station will be at Murphy Crossing along the Beltline’s Westside Trail, meaning the popular mixed-use trail loop will soon be connected to heavy rail. The other three stations will be “in-fill” stations between existing stops, but the specific locations were not immediately available.
“Our current MARTA rail system is underutilized, in part, because we don’t have enough stations located where our residents need them most,” Dickens said during his annual State of the City address. “… A better, more accessible rail system is key to Atlanta’s future and I am committed to ensuring that Atlanta residents have access to the quality transportation they deserve.”
The last MARTA station to join the transit network were Sandy Springs and North Springs along the red line, which both opened in 2000.
Beltline officials and Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development arm, finalized a development team last week for Murphy Crossing. It’s a pivotal redevelopment effort that is poised to include 1,100 housing units and up to 180,000 square feet of commercial space, both with significant affordability components.
The mixed-use project on the former State Farmers Market property at 1050 Murphy Ave. SW ranks among the most consequential developments on land owned by the Beltline. It’s located about 0.8 miles between the West End and Oakland City MARTA stations.
“This new station will not only bring rail access to Murphy Crossing, it will for the very first time connect MARTA rail to the Beltline,” Dickens said. “Investments like Murphy Crossing and high-capacity transit on Campbellton Road will ensure that residents on the southside will have access to the best Atlanta has to offer.”
Credit: Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
Credit: Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
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