MARTA will install a new track safety system between the Medical Center and North Springs stations thanks to a $4.2 million federal grant.
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced $29 million in safety grants across the country last week. MARTA's grant is to expand its use of TrackSafe technology, developed by Canada-based Bombardier.
The technology will be installed over 6 miles of track to help protect maintenance workers by alerting them to oncoming trains and notifying control personnel where the track workers are.
“Safety is our highest priority at DOT, and we are committed to ensuring that public transportation remains one of the safest ways to travel in the United States,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement.
“These grants will help transit agencies utilize the latest, most innovative technologies available to reduce collisions, protect track workers, improve operations during emergencies and natural disasters, and maintain equipment and infrastructure.”
The money came from a 2012 transportation law passed by Congress. The grants also included $995,000 to an Atlanta nonprofit to turn buses into mobile generators.
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