MARTA is officially pursuing bus rapid transit instead of light rail along Campbellton Road. MARTA's Board of Directors voted in favor of installing dedicated bus lanes in the center of the busy Southwest Atlanta corridor. The transit agency initially planned to construct light rail along the road, but an analysis by the agency's staff found a BRT route could save upwards of $200 million and come with lower annual operating costs.
Local politicians and advocates say MARTA needs to provide equitable forms of transit to all residents and workers. Though the agency sold some critics on the potential benefits of BRT, not everyone is content with the choice. The Campbellton Road corridor is part of a multi-billion-dollar expansion — funded by a half-penny local sales tax approved by voters — intended to draw riders back into the system by linking residents and workers to the heavy rail network.
Due to inflation, forecasted costs is well over budget for MARTA's initial plan on installing a light rail system. With this new direction, the BRT plan calls for 7 miles of sidewalks and 5 miles of bike lanes along Campbellton Road. The light rail plan only promised 1.6 miles of sidewalks and 2.5 miles of bike lanes. The agency also expects to be able to complete the BRT route by 2028, a few years sooner than it could complete light rail.