ATLANTA — Service impacts related to Phase 1 of MARTA's Five Points Station Transformation project have been halted, the transit authority announced Wednesday.
MARTA had previously announced a schedule for implementing customer impacts starting this Saturday, but those plans have now been put on hold.
Eight downtown bus routes scheduled to relocate on July 6 will now remain stationed out of Five Points, and street-level access to the station set to close on July 29 will remain open.
This comes after transit advocates and Mayor Andre Dickens voiced concerns about plans to close street access during the project.
"As stated previously, design issues and decades of water intrusion have led to damage throughout the station, including to critical electric train control equipment, and the safety of our customers will continue to be our top priority," MARTA said in a release.
"MARTA remains steadfast in our belief that removal and replacement of the canopy is the best option and one that was approved by our partners at the City of Atlanta. We pledge to continue working with the Mayor and other stakeholders to deliver these critical infrastructure and safety improvements, enhance the customer experience, and keep Atlanta moving forward as a world-class destination," the statement continued.
The project stems from the transit authority's plan to transform the central hub for the rail system "into a state-of-the-art" station ahead of the arrival of the 2026 World Cup. The planning has been in the works for about four years.
More about the Five Points redesign
The main undertaking for the project will involve deconstructing the current brutalist canopy in place at Five Points and eventually replacing it with an open-concept canopy. Several other elements, seen in the rendering below, are involved in the project that will make the site more pedestrian-centric.
The transit authority plans to release more details about the project in the coming weeks, but you can see renderings presented in a March 2023 MARTA board meeting below:
Photos: MARTA Five Points transformation project renderings
How much will the Five Points redesign cost?
The project was spurred by the receiving of federal funds. A cost breakdown by MARTA places the deconstruction and demolition of the existing structure at about $62 million, with the new canopy costing some $46 million and plaza and concourse level redesigns at about $23.5 and $20 million, respectively.
The total construction estimate comes in at about $203.5 million, with another $50+ million allotted for professional service/soft costs and contingency expenditures.
What will construction look like?
A step-by-step of the construction concept lists out the aims of the project:
- Remove the existing concrete canopy structure
- Carve up more openings for light and air below the canopy in the existing plaza, which has limited openings
- Prioritize the new station axis and reconnect Broad Street and the Broad Street plaza extending out of the station
- Program the open space with distinct character and purpose
- New canopy to tie the site together