RIVERDALE, Ga. — Commuters in Clayton County will have a chance to comment on plans for the first bus rapid transit route in their area.
MARTA will hold a public hearing Thursday night on the proposed Rapid Southlake.
Antonio Lucas is a commuter in Clayton County who relies on public transportation. He said transit service in the area isn’t meeting demand.
“It makes it difficult for me to get to work,” said Lucas. “I’ve made it to work but it’s been late.”
New options are on the horizon. Using designated lanes, Rapid Southlake would connect the Airport MARTA station to Southlake Mall.
Known as “rail on rubber tires,” bus rapid transit would get priority at traffic lights.
“Bus rapid transit provides as much if not similar amenities as you would see for rail,” said MARTA’s Marcus Arnold. “Similar performance as far as travel time and savings.”
MARTA is looking for a second rapid bus line in Clayton County that would follow Highway 54 through the county all the way to Lovejoy.
The Southlake line would come first. Plans call for that line to open in 2030.
“There will be quite a bit of coordination, not only looking at the corridors and how those can be implemented, but also to looking at how they, will interface with each other and provide even more connectivity,” said Arnold.
The public hearing on Thursday night will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Education Center of Southern Regional Medical Center, 11 Upper Riverdale Road, Riverdale.