MARTA takes a $14 million step toward linking its Buckhead Station with adjacent developments

By David Pendered

MARTA is slated to show off its Buckhead Station Wednesday to companies that want a piece of its $13 million to $14 million renovation.

MARTA intends to build a north entrance and pedestrian bridges that will link the northern end of the station platform with land on both sides of Ga. 400, according to pre-bid documents posted online by the transit agency.

MARTA has always intended for its Buckhead Station to be better connected than it is with the surrounding neighborhood. Of all the MARTA stations, Buckhead Station is uniquely poised to serve tony travelers arriving at Atlanta’s airport with reservations at a top-end hotel in Atlanta’s best address for shopping, dining and office.

MARTA’s current proposal for the Buckhead Station provides these details about the construction project:

• A construction period of 600 calendar days;
• A budget of from $13 million to $14 million;
• 54 percent of costs are to be covered by federal funds;
• 46 percent of cost are to be covered by local funds.

MARTA’s timeline calls for bids to be opened at 2 p.m. on June 29.

This is how MARTA’s advance notice to bidders describes the scope of the project that is to be completed:

“The work generally consists of constructing a new bridge level/concourse level entrance into the north end of the Buckhead Station, including:

• Stairs and elevator to the platform level;
• Two pedestrian bridges spanning highway State Route 400 northbound and southbound roadways;
• A stair and elevator tower on the east side of highway State Route 400 and an elevated ramp and walkway on the west side of highway State Route 400.

“It also includes removing the existing emergency exit stairs on the platform and on the west side of highway State Route 400, and the associated bridge spanning highway State Route 400 southbound.

“The project is located in the Buckhead community, City of Atlanta, State of Georgia.”

The pre-bid conference is slated to begin at 9 a.m. at MARTA headquarters, located adjacent to the Lindbergh Center Station.

In the past decade, MARTA’s Buckhead Station has found itself flanked by some of the region’s most prestigious developments that offer the live-work-play lifestyle. The Tower Place, Sovereign and Terminus projects are just a few of the eye-popping developments within walking distance of the station.

A transit station with direct connections to the east and west sides of Ga. 400 usually was included in community development plans going back almost 20 years.