Southwest Atlanta residents demand MARTA build light rail

By Collin Kelley

MARTA’s announcement that it plans to build a bus rapid transit (BRT) line instead of light rail along the Campbellton Road corridor in Southwest Atlanta was met with fury from residents and politicians who represent the area.

A six-mile light rail along the Campbellton corridor was included in the list – “More MARTA” – of projects put to voters when they approved a sales tax increase in 2016 to fund the $2.7 billion expansion of the transportation system.

MARTA claimed in a statement that light rail on Campbellton was never promised but used for planning purposes. The transit agency concluded, after two years of analysis and public engagement, that BRT provides “the greatest mobility, faster, and for far less money.”

“Adopting BRT as the mode for Campbellton will allow MARTA to deliver on the promise of better connectivity for southwest Atlanta into the heavy rail system faster,” the MARTA statement said.

The BRT line would run from Oakland City station to the Barge Road park-and-ride lot. Like light rail it would include numerous stops along the route and move passengers more quickly since it’s running in two dedicated center lanes along the corridor.

The BRT line would also cost about $200 million less to build than light rail, which has many residents wondering how that leftover money will be spent.

During a town hall meeting last month at Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Mayor Andre Dickens said he understood the frustration of residents, but also played devil’s advocate concerning BRT vs. light rail.

“We have to ask ourselves what we really want for the community,” Dickens said. “If you go with BRT then there is money for other things. The $200 million could go to transit-oriented development, more lighting, cameras, better sidewalks. BRT would get done faster and it would operate the same as light rail.”

However, Dickens said he also recognized the optics of putting a bus service in Southwest Atlanta and light rail on the Northside along the proposed Clifton Road corridor that would connect Lindbergh station to the Emory University campus.

“I see the class in it, the color in it, and how it looks,” Dickens said.

Former Senator Vincent Fort said he didn’t believe MARTA would invest the additional $200 million on transit-oriented development on the Campbellton corridor.

“If you believe that, I have a bridge in