The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) has begun construction on the Cleveland-Metropolitan Arterial Rapid Transit (ART) project. In partnership with the city of Atlanta through the More MARTA program, the ART will feature enhanced shelters and improved customer amenities.
The ART will follow most of MARTA’s current Route 78 (Cleveland Avenue) from East Point Station to Jonesboro Road, providing a more direct path by removing the existing loop around Browns Mill Golf Course. The Metropolitan Parkway ART will enhance service along the highest-ridership segment of current Route 95 (Metropolitan Parkway), connecting West End Station to Cleveland Avenue.
According to MARTA, the corridors serve the East Point and West End rail stations and through communities with a higher-than-average proportion of residents who are transit-dependent.
Key destinations include Atlanta Technical College, Atlanta Metropolitan State College, Citi Center Shopping Center, MET Atlanta, Wellstar East Point Health Center, Cleveland Avenue Branch Library, Metropolitan Library and the Atlanta BeltLine.
MARTA says the goal of the ART is to reduce travel time through fewer stops and transit signal priority. According to 11ALive, ART differs from bus rapid transit in that it has slightly longer frequencies and no dedicated lanes, though it is still billed as a substantially faster service than ordinary bus routes.
The start of construction on the ART project follows MARTA launching its NextGen Bus Network in April.
