VHB supported the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) in advancing the Rapid Southlake Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project through planning, environmental review, and 30 percent design, to strengthen mobility and community development in Clayton County, Georgia. Alongside this work, VHB is also leading a corridor-wide transit-oriented development (TOD) planning strategy for MARTA that is setting the stage for the project’s long-term success by aligning land use, infrastructure, and investment priorities with the future transit service.
The planned BRT service will create a high-capacity transit connection between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport—Georgia’s largest employment site and world’s busiest airport—and key points of interest including the Southern Regional Medical Center and Southlake Mall, improving access to jobs, services, and regional destinations. MARTA’s Clayton County Southlake BRT TOD planning strategy provides a market-based foundation for development, supports cross-agency coordination, and establishes a framework for long-term leadership along the corridor. Together, the efforts position the corridor to support equitable growth while reinforcing the value of transit investment.
As prime consultant, VHB has led transit planning and technical work for the BRT, including fixed-route service planning, traffic and operational analysis, conceptual design, financial analysis, safety analysis, feasibility assessments, and environmental screening. VHB also supported MARTA’s participation in the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program, developing implementation plans, cost estimates, and realistic delivery timelines to help maintain project momentum.
“Transit-oriented development and BRT planning have to move together to be successful,” said Audra Rojek, VHB Project Manager. “By aligning market analysis, infrastructure priorities, and community vision with the transit investment, we are setting up the corridor to deliver long-term benefits for Clayton County.”
Through collaboration with MARTA, local governments, residents, and stakeholders, the BRT and TOD efforts together represent a unified strategy to improve mobility, guide development, and strengthen communities across the corridor.
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