(The Center Square) – The federal government is sending about $20 million to the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) for a trio of projects, including a new bus maintenance facility and new electric buses.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced Monday a $15 million grant for the agency to build a new Clayton Operations & Maintenance Facility. The money is part of $409.3 million in grants the FTA awarded to 70 projects in 39 states.
In total, the federal government has allocated $33 million to the project. Officials said the maintenance facility would support 31 regional bus routes and more than 250 buses.
Separately, the recently approved federal fiscal 2022 spending bill included $3.85 million for MARTA to buy six new electric buses for its fleet to replace older diesel buses. The purchases will bring MARTA’s fleet of electric buses to a dozen.
“The future of MARTA’s bus fleet is electric, which will help combat climate change and reduce public health impacts from air pollution, especially in vulnerable populations,” MARTA interim General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood said in a statement.
Additionally, the federal spending bill includes $1 million to rehabilitate the agency’s Brookhaven station. The money will go toward MARTA’s more than $200 million State of Good Repair Station Rehabilitation Program at all 38 rail stations over the next seven years.
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