MARTA adopts $1.6B balanced budget for 2024

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - MARTA has unveiled a $1.6 billion balanced budget for fiscal year 2024.

This is the 12th straight year that MARTA has balanced the budget without a fare increase.

The budget includes $712.4 million in gross operating funds and $854.5 million for capital programming. Capital programming includes getting new railcars, deep-cleaning every station in the system and giving bus shelters new amenities. It also includes putting money toward projects in the design or construction phases, such as the Summerhill Bus Rapid Transit.

The Summerhill Bus Rapid Transit is planned to connect South Downtown and Five Points with the Atlanta BeltLine at Carver. It will take roughly 15 minutes to complete the entire route, stopping at 12 different stations along the way. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer and revenue service is scheduled to begin in 2025.

Bus Rapid Transit is also being considered for the Campbellton corridor as an alternative to light rail.

MARTA claims that riders are taking more rides during off-peak hours despite the impact the rise of remote work has had on ridership. A press release said, “The carry-over of reserves, combined with robust sales tax revenue, from which MARTA derives a significant part of its operating budget, puts the Authority in a strong financial position to deliver pre-COVID service levels and make improvements systemwide.”

MARTA General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood said, “As riders return to MARTA, we are committed to providing an experience and service level they can enjoy and rely on.”

MARTA is one of the few metro systems in the United States that receives no state funding.

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