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MARTA’s Five Points overhaul may not finish until 2031 as costs climb
MARTA’s Five Points Station renovation is running behind schedule and over its original $230 million budget, but the agency has not set a new completion date or price. CEO Jonathan Hunt has floated a roughly $100 million increase, while cautioning that the figure is not final.
MARTA’s renovation of Five Points Station is taking longer and costing more than planned, but the transit agency has not committed to a revised completion date or total price.
At a board meeting this week, CEO Jonathan Hunt said it would be premature to give a firm timeline or cost. He previously told Atlanta City Council members that the project could require about $100 million more than its original $230 million budget, describing the estimate as an “off the top of my head” figure. Hunt also discussed a possible total near $330 million, but said that was not a final number.
A contractor working on the project told an Atlanta News First reporter that the schedule had been extended, with completion expected in 2031 — about two years later than the timeline previously given by project officials. MARTA has not confirmed that date. Construction began in May 2025, and officials had said the work would take four years.
Board members pressed Hunt and staff for clearer information about the schedule and rising costs. The delay and uncertainty add to scrutiny of MARTA’s ability to deliver major projects on time and within budget. The agency has not announced when it will provide a revised estimate.
Five Points is a major transfer point in the MARTA rail system, making the project’s schedule and cost consequential for riders and the public funding the work. Hunt said the estimate could change as the agency accounts for inflation, project changes and other cost pressures.