Politics
Atlanta Allocates $120 Million for MARTA Expansions, Job Training
The ordinance allocates $120 million from the city's capital budget to transit projects and job training tied to construction contracts, affecting daily commutes and employment access for residents in East Atlanta, Grant Park and adjacent neighborhoods.
How we reported this
The Atlanta City Council voted 9-6 on July 7 to pass the 2026 Infrastructure and Workforce Ordinance. The measure directs $120 million from the city's capital improvement fund toward MARTA bus rapid transit lines along Memorial Drive and job training contracts administered through the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency.
Why the vote occurred now
City budget documents released in May 2026 showed a $45 million shortfall in federal highway matching funds for the current fiscal year. Council members tied the ordinance to that gap, using local revenue from the 2025 property tax reassessment to cover the difference without raising rates. The legislation states that 40 percent of construction contracts must go to firms based inside the city limits.
Residents in District 5 will see new bus shelters and dedicated lanes on Memorial Drive by late 2027. The same ordinance funds 850 training slots at the Atlanta Technical College for commercial driver's licenses and construction trades, with priority enrollment for applicants living within two miles of the new routes.
Budget figures and next steps
According to the city's adopted 2026 capital budget, the $120 million breaks down as $78 million for MARTA infrastructure, $32 million for workforce contracts, and $10 million for signal upgrades at 14 intersections. The ordinance requires quarterly reports to the council's transportation committee starting October 2026.
Work on the Memorial Drive corridor is scheduled to begin after the Georgia Department of Transportation issues permits in September. The Atlanta Workforce Development Agency will open applications for the training program on August 1 through its office at 818 Pollard Boulevard.
Further council action on related zoning changes for transit-oriented development is listed on the August 4 meeting agenda.