Atlanta I-85 collapse: Fulton to increase telecommuting, MARTA discounts
Fulton County employees may get additional incentives to ride MARTA and work from home under new government policies that are in the works following the collapse of part of I-85, a key artery downtown.
In addition to making it easier for workers — and jurors — to get into Atlanta, Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves said he hoped his proposal would lead other employers to help their workers come up with alternatives to driving to the office.
“I want to send a positive signal to other employers that we can all contribute to mitigating this traffic,” Eaves said. “We’re taking people off the road.”
The plans are not yet finalized, said Nazeera Dawood, Eaves’ chief of staff. But she expects any aid will be appreciated by employees.
Eaves said about 1,300 workers commute along the I-85, I-75 and Ga. 400 corridors, but that the changes will be applicable for all Fulton employees. They include the possibility of increased MARTA discounts and more room for telecommuting.
Fulton already offers a 40 percent discount on MARTA Breeze cards, Eaves said, but will either further subsidize rides or negotiate with MARTA for a lower rate. Eaves said he would also like to find a way to help potential jurors take MARTA to the courthouse. There are about 500 jurors coming downtown a day, he said.
And the county plans a marketing campaign to let residents know about all the services they can access at north and south county annexes, as well as online. That, too, will help keep people from driving downtown, he said.
The final plan should be ready Tuesday afternoon.
Eaves said the solutions, for now, are temporary. But he sees the proposals as pilot programs, and said they may lead to more permanent enticements not to drive.
“Fulton County is a major employer downtown,” Eaves said. “We want to be more efficient, keep more people off the road.”
About the Author
Arielle Kass covers Gwinnett County for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She started at the paper in 2010, and has covered business and local government beats around metro Atlanta. Arielle is a graduate of Emory University.
