MARTA Selects CDM Smith to Design the Largest Bus Rapid Transit System in the State of Georgia
News Item
MARTA Selects CDM Smith to Design the Largest Bus Rapid Transit System in the State of Georgia
May 30, 2025
ATLANTA— CDM Smith was selected by the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) to design the Clayton County Southlake Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Alignment and Airport Connectivity project. CDM Smith and its partners will design approximately 15 miles of BRT with an elevated guideway into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The effort is MARTA’s largest BRT project to date.
This project will greatly improve Clayton County residents’ access to job opportunities and education and will open doors for further transit-oriented development in the area. Direct premium transit service to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and MARTA’s rail system will greatly contribute to the local and regional economies.
Planning and design work is funded by the one-cent sales tax approved by Clayton County voters in 2014. The project has submitted an application for a Small Starts grant award from the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program. The current project budget is $355.6 million.
In service of its goal to provide premium transit service throughout the county, the BRT system design will include an elevated guideway, elevated bus stations, and a pedestrian bridge connector to the airport terminal and MARTA train station. The design phase of this project will take two years to complete. Construction is estimated to take place from 2028 through 2030.
We brought experience from our successful BRT project portfolio and remained focused on MARTA’s goals and Clayton County’s needs to create the right team to design this BRT.
"We brought experience from our successful BRT project portfolio and remained focused on MARTA’s goals and Clayton County’s needs to create the right team to design this BRT,” said principal and client service leader Chuck Deeb.
CDM Smith is a privately owned engineering and construction firm providing legendary client service and smart solutions in water, environment, transportation, energy, and facilities. Passionate about our work and invested in each other, we are inspired to think and driven to solve the world’s environmental and infrastructure challenges.
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