MARTA pauses plan to close Five Points station in downtown Atlanta

MARTA has decided to pause its controversial plan to shut down the Five Points station in downtown Atlanta for up to four years.

A major renovation project at the station was expected to begin this month, but MARTA officials said on Wednesday that they are pausing the project.

Eight bus routes were scheduled to relocate starting this weekend, but they will remain stationed out of Five Points.

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Customer impacts that were set to start later this month, including access to tunnels to the federal building and Underground Atlanta, as well as restroom closures, will also be paused.

Trains were expected to still run their routes, but walking access to the station was going to be shut off.

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“As stated previously, design issues and decades of water intrusion have led to damage throughout the station, including to critical electric train control equipment, and the safety of our customers will continue to be our top priority,” a MARTA spokesperson wrote in a statement.

Officials say they still believe removing and replacing the canopy at the station is the best option and will continue to work with the mayor’s office to make those changes.

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