MARTA is finally entering the bus rapid transit game with the Rapid A-Line launching April 18. Think of it as "rail on rubber tires," they say, and for anyone who's waited 45 minutes for a bus on Capitol Avenue, this is a pretty big deal.
The five-mile route connects downtown Atlanta to Capitol Gateway, Summerhill, Peoplestown, and the BeltLine's Southside Trail with 14 stops. Unlike traditional bus schedules where you're checking an app every two minutes, these buses roll through every 10-15 minutes. They've also got dedicated lanes in many spots and tech that can change traffic lights. Pretty slick.
Now, the catch: this thing cost $123 million, more than double the original budget. MARTA blamed "unexpected infrastructure issues" and a battery recall on their new electric buses. Classic Atlanta infrastructure story. But if it actually runs on time and gets people from Peoplestown to Five Points without sitting in Memorial Drive traffic, most folks won't care about the budget overruns.
