New Year, New Commute!
01/04/2024
BY GABI RAMIREZ
The new year always brings with it possibilities of newness – new goals, new habits, new routines. Could your daily commute to work be due for a little bit of newness as well?
For many of us, the work commute can be a drain on productivity, budget and well-being. But it doesn’t have to be. Regional data points to Atlanta’s commute times are getting longer again as more workers return to the office. But what if reclaiming some of the time spent sitting in traffic to do more of the things you enjoy was possible? And what if you could cut down on gas and car expenses by doing something other than driving alone?
For Caleb Kirksey, his daily commute to and from Google’s Midtown Atlanta office is one of connection, wellness, and even frugality.
“Having the option to either bike or ride the train to my office really reduces my stress level compared to navigating traffic in a car,” said Kirksey. “I often bump into people I know at the station or on the bike trails. Atlanta feels like a smaller, friendlier place. The benefits for me include the exercise from walking to the station or biking, saving money on gas and car maintenance, and avoiding parking challenges.”
In Midtown, You Have the Most Options Anywhere
In Midtown, transportation options are plentiful, providing you with options that best suit your needs. Whether it’s walking, biking, or taking transit, Midtown supports a variety of travel types within the district. Like almost all office buildings in the district (96%), Kirksey’s workplace is within a 6-minute walk of a rail transit station. Plus, MARTA made recent service changes systemwide that increased the number of trains and reduced wait times between trains. And with $20M in transportation improvements coming out of the ground all over the district – from new traffic signals to expanded bike facilities and new street connections – your menu of commute options gets bigger all the time.
“Living near both the East Lake MARTA station and the Stone Mountain PATH trail gives me two safe alternative commuting options to Midtown that I can alternate between depending on weather, plans after work, etc.,” said Kirksey.
Midtown Alliance’s Ryan Splitlog, Program Manager of Midtown Transportation, is personally invested in and passionate about safe options for the bike-riding community, as it's a central part of his daily life and community too. He’s part of a team of full-time consultants that work at Midtown Alliance exclusively focused on helping workplaces and commuters get started with programs to encourage greater use of transit, biking, walking, carpooling and vanpooling.
“I love getting out of my car and riding to Midtown because of our growing bike network,” Splitlog said. “Whether you're coming from Decatur or West End, you'd be surprised how many viable routes there are in both dedicated lanes and on slow, low-stress neighborhood streets.”
Sign Up to Get Your Free Route Plan Today
Exploring new commute options doesn’t have to be a confusing or stress-filled process you navigate alone. The Midtown Transportation team is here to help you understand all your options and pick a path that works best for you.
Over the past three years, the Midtown Transportation team has helped hundreds of people through their free route planning service. A consultant can work with you 1:1 to find the best option to get from your home to your Midtown workplace.
Reach out to MT@MidtownATL.com for your free, custom route plan and get started.