MARTA stopped funding two streetcar feasibility studies in May 2025 after the City of Atlanta announced plans to reprioritize Atlanta Beltline light rail.
What’s Happening: MARTA officials decided in May to pause funding for the studies. The project was at 30% design when the pause was decided.
What’s Important: The Streetcar East extension is part of the More MARTA Atlanta Program, which is aligned with the Atlanta Transportation Plan. A 2020 agreement between the City of Atlanta and MARTA governs More MARTA funding and establishes the Program Governance Committee, which meets monthly.
What Happens Next: Discussions continue around reprioritization of More MARTA projects. Final policy decisions rest with the City of Atlanta and the MARTA Board of Directors.
The Timeline: On March 13, the City of Atlanta announced plans to reprioritize Atlanta Beltline light rail during a public MARTA Board of Directors meeting. On May 27, the MARTA Program Governance Committee paused funding for two streetcar feasibility studies.
Sources: MARTA
