The Campbellton Corridor Transit Project is paid for through the More MARTA Atlanta half-penny sales tax, but additional federal funding is also being considered, including the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)’s Small Starts Discretionary Grant Program, a Capital Investment Grant. The City of Atlanta submitted a Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MEGA) application to USDOT in May 2022 to implement center-running BRT for the MARTA Rapid Campbellton.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transportation systems including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, trolleys, and ferries.

The FTA oversees grants to state and local transit providers primarily through its 10 regional offices. These providers are responsible for managing their programs in accordance with federal requirements, and the FTA is responsible for ensuring that grantees follow federal mandates along with statutory and administrative requirements. The FTA also oversees safety measures and helps develop next-generation technology research.

The Small Starts Grant Agreement (SSGA) is provided as part of the FTA’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program that funds transit capital investments including heavy rail, commuter rail, light rail, streetcars, and bus rapid transit.

In 2008, nearly one half of the FTA’s pipeline of projects were light rail transit (LRT), and there were only seven bus rapid transit (BRT) projects being considered for funding. Since 2018, FTA has funded 23 BRT projects and as of January 2022, almost two-thirds of the pipeline are BRT projects. Meanwhile, only six light rail projects are under development in the US.

Transit-oriented or “TOD” means development around transit stations that is compact, vibrant, pedestrian-friendly, and seamlessly integrated with transit. There are four principles of TOD:

While the overall scale of development around each station may vary, successful TODs share several key concepts:

• Development adjacent to the station is dense and compact compared to its surroundings, and includes a rich mix of land uses at a variety of affordability levels so people can work, shop, or go to school within walking distance of transit

• Development of a great public realm, walkability with sidewalks, amenities such as lighting, street trees, seating, or bicycle transit, and a grid of streets

• While TOD is centered around a transit station, it also integrates a variety of other mobility options, including pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular transportation. Transit does not mean “no cars,” but it does require less parking than similar development in non-transit-oriented locations

Key components from land use/TOD analyses:

• Corridor Assessment evaluated the potential for TOD along the corridor

• Station-Area Analysis evaluated barriers and opportunities at each potential station

• Land-Use Framework established development character and scale

• Market Evaluation studied development opportunities and potential to prioritize station development and phasing

• Station-Area Concept Plans identified framework plans for future TOD development around station areas

• Catalyst Stations identify key stations to focus early development along the corridor and catalyze economic development paired with more detailed station plans

• Implementation Strategies identified necessary policies and strategies to implement successful TOD along Campbellton Corridor

campbellton@itsmarta.com

troberson@itsmarta.com

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