Overview:
Bus rapid transit is coming to Clayton County, and MARTA wants your input about the first proposed route.
The plan is to put in a $300 million BRT line Clayton County residents will have their say about a route from College Park to Southlake Mall.
Why BRT?
A proposed commuter rail system along GA Highway 54 (Jonesboro Road) fell through because there wasn’t enough right-of-way to put in the new track next to Norfolk Southern. Adding a lane would have meant taking away land from existing businesses.
Instead, BRT lane uses a dedicated traffic lane and signals—no other vehicles are allowed to cut into it. That way, people can leave their cars at home and zip to their destinations more quickly than if they had to sit through all those traffic lights.
The new development also would help people without cars get to and from work. If you live in Riverdale and work at the airport, for example, walking or biking takes too long.
It also will make it easier for residents to get around the county to destinations like the airport, Southlake Mall, and points in between. Clayton County is getting more crowded, developers are building more subdivisions and apartment complexes, traffic is getting worse, and the price of gas is going up.
Building new transit-oriented developments around the BRT line will create more walkable areas. For example, Piedmont Road in the 1990s was seedy and run-down. Today, it’s full of new apartments, restaurants, and retail shopping—all within walking distance of MARTA. That means more jobs, more money in the county’s coffers, more places to live, and things to do close by.
Learn more about what MARTA is doing in Clayton County at Connect Clayton
For questions about existing MARTA service, e-mail custserv@itsmarta.com
