The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Board of Directors Planning and Capital Programs Committee announced it has selected the team led by HDR to complete the final design for the Streetcar East Extension. 

HDR has experience with streetcar projects, having provided engineering, architectural, environmental, and construction work on streetcar projects in over 30 cities in North America.

The More MARTA Atlanta program has been gaining momentum with the groundbreaking of MARTA Rapid bus rapid transit in Southeast Atlanta last week, and the Cleveland Avenue and Metropolitan Parkway arterial rapid transit projects beginning construction later this year. 

“MARTA is keenly focused on delivering the nine priority projects identified in the recent resequencing process by 2028,” said Carrie Rocha, chief capital officer for MARTA. “Moving into final design is a critical milestone for this project.”

Streetcar East Extension Details

The Streetcar East Extension will cost approximately $230 million and is funded through the More MARTA Atlanta half-penny sales tax. Construction on the extension will get underway in 2025 with service scheduled to begin in 2028.

“We’re excited to continue to partner with MARTA and the City of Atlanta on this priority project to fulfill the promise of high-quality transit on the Atlanta BeltLine and bring more accessibility to all,” said Clyde Higgs, president/CEO of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. “We look forward to additional community conversations around the Streetcar design as it progresses toward the final design.”

The MARTA board recently finalized the alignment for the two-mile extension, which runs along Edgewood Avenue, Randolph Street, Auburn Avenue, and Irwin Street to the Atlanta Beltline, then turns north to Ponce City Market, with five stops along the route. 

MARTA’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion assigned a 26% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal on this procurement. HDR has committed to exceeding the assigned goal on this project with a 30% goal.