Alternate transportation going
places on the Emory campus
To get to work, Katharine Gaddie, a graduate program assistant in psychology,
rides MARTA's Number 115 bus from her home to the Kensington train station
and then catches the Kensington express bus to Emory, and it doesn't cost
her anything. "I decided the expense of keeping a car up was getting
too much, since I was riding MARTA anyway-I've been riding the Kensington
express bus since it started, because it was more convenient."
To Cheryle Crumley, assistant director of community services for transportation
in the parking and community services office, Gaddie's story is just one
example of the success of Emory's alternate transportation programs.
"We've had significant success in our MARTA pass and carpooling program
since we started over two years ago," said Crumley. To build on that
success, Crumley said the carpooling program will add an incentive in February
that will allow three or more person carpools to park for free. "Basically,
the three-person carpools will have a deck or lot reserved carpool space
for free," said Crumley. "This is at least a $700 value."
There are 82 registered carpools that include 165 people: 49 faculty, 89
staff and 27 members of The Emory Clinic staff. Michael Street, Fishburne
and Lowergate decks are the most popular spots for carpools to park. Crumley
noted that in the past two years, only a few people have used the guaranteed
ride home provided by the parking and community services office. "In
our initial surveys, people said not having a car during an emergency was
an obstacle to their being in a carpool," said Crumley. "But it
turns out that most times people feel comfortable getting rides from co-workers
and friends if they have an unexpected situation to deal with and need to
go home."
In addition to the carpooling program, Emory also provides $45 monthly MARTA
transcards to 765 employees; Crawford Long Hospital provides an additional
372 to its employees. "We are one of the biggest participants in the
MARTA partnership program," said Crumley.
"The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) has held Emory's alternate transportation
up as a model," said Crumley. "When ARC began its Commute Connections
Program last spring, they wanted to get other businesses to do what Emory's
doing in the alternate transportation arena."
Crumley also mentioned that ARC has identified Emory's Clifton Corridor
as one of the four areas in metro Atlanta identified as having potential
for a transportation management association (TMA). "The study said
that the Clifton Corridor, along with Buckhead, the Airport and Midtown
areas, had the greatest traffic congestion and that these areas had the
best potential for a TMA." TMAs already exist in the Cumberland and
Perimeter mall areas.
Crumley said there are numerous plans for commuter options. Discussions
are under way with an outside vendor to provide vanpools to Emory. The parking
and community services office has had several meetings with MARTA officials
about creating light rail service to Emory, but Crumley said rail service
to Emory will be five to 10 years away with the study and political process
that MARTA will need to go through. "We have told MARTA that Emory
needs improved and expanded bus service," said Crumley. A bus from
Emory to the Decatur MARTA station, express service to the Highway 78 area
and a shuttle to the Northlake area have all been discussed with MARTA.
She said that MARTA and ARC consultants met with the consultants from the
master planning firm, Ayers/ Saint/Gross in mid December and that her office
plans to explore more commuter options for students.
-Jan Gleason
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