A handful of people attended Thursday’s public information meeting in Sandy Springs to learn about MARTA’s I-285 Express Lanes Transit Study.
MARTA held similar meetings in Clarkston on Thursday and Smyrna on Wednesday.
Marcus Arnold, MARTA’s director of Federal Corridors & Hubs, said the study is trying to identify needs and opportunities for high-capacity premium transit along I-285 using the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Express Lanes project.
Arnold said the Georgia Department of Transportation’s express lanes project looks at the northern portion of I-285 between the H.E. Holmes and Indian Creek MARTA stations. The study is designed to identify some of the needs and opportunities to get existing and new riders access to jobs and other points alongside the Perimeter.
“This meeting is to get input on what are the needs, what are the challenges for commuting, mobility, and other things along the corridor,” Arnold said.
MARTA will develop service planning concepts and potential station design concepts to advance a recommendation as it completes the study next summer. Project funding is available, but Arnold said they will seek additional funding to advance the project and work with GDOT on it.
Ron Siphen drove from Canton to attend the meeting. He said express lanes on I-75 have dramatically improved mobility in the corridor.
“The Express Lanes project itself, I think, will have a spectacular result in improving overall mobility,” Arnold said.
Arnold, who said he used to live in Vinings, felt just as strongly about the transit portion of the project.
“I think that this is likely to be by far the most successful transit investment in the country for a new transit line because it connects high-demand destinations,” Arnold said.
Project materials handed out at the meeting and available online indicate that one in three people can’t get to Perimeter Center or Cumberland even with two transit transfers.
Georgia native Sandra Payton believes completing the project will get more cars off the roads.
“I just wish they did this earlier, but we have always been resistant to tolls,” Payton said. But I think now, because there’s so many people here, we’ve got to look at this now.”
All study materials for the project are available online, as is a survey MARTA wants residents and commuters to complete.
