ATLANTA — MARTA’s airport station is getting a major facelift that will impact passengers and employees who use public transit.
The six-week closure of the station at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport will allow for numerous changes, including new flooring and a second elevator.
During a tour, MARTA officials showed 11Alive Reporter Jerry Carnes what's due for an update.
“Tile has cracked, degraded, and fallen off of the walls,” said MARTA Chief Capital Officer Carrie Rocha.
This renovation marks the first major change to the airport station since it opened over 40 years ago.
MARTA plans to provide shuttles from the College Park station to Hartsfield Jackson starting on April 8.
“That’s going to be rough for a lot of people,” said frequent flier Joseph Cox. “I guess we have to make other preparations now, but Ubering costs way too much.”
Rocha said the work to replace lighting and cracked tile will not only give the station a fresh look but also improve safety.
“We do want this area to represent a welcome to Atlanta,” said Rocha. “We have a lot of use in this station, so we’re trying to make sure all the surfaces are safe and ADA accessible.”
For the visually impaired, a wider yellow strip will mark the edge of the platform where trains arrive.
New signs and artwork are part of the plan.
“We’ll have ambassadors,” said Rocha. “We’ll have folks making sure everyone knows where to go and they’ll be plenty of signage.”
MARTA picked a time when demand for air travel is traditionally low. The airport station will close at the end of Spring Break and reopen before the summer travel season.