Dixie Hills residents urge keeping bus route and paving unpaved streets

During the public comment portion of the Transportation Committee meeting residents of the Dixie Hills neighborhood asked the committee to oppose elimination of MARTA bus route “8 67” and requested attention to unpaved local streets.

Derek Green, who identified himself as “with the Dixie Hills community,” said the route serves recent senior housing additions and other residential development. “Over the last 4 years, we've added about 250 senior housing. We have a proposal for another 300 multigenerational, housing, developments. And so it's very important that we keep this route active and alive,” Green said. He described repeated late or missed buses and recounted seeing a senior resident walk “about, a mile and 85 degree humid weather, with her full work uniform on to the Westlake Train Station.”

Joanne Scott, also speaking for Dixie Hill, emphasized the role transit plays for seniors and people who no longer drive, saying riders use it “to go to church, work, grocery store … doctor's appointments.” She suggested altering the route to better serve Dixie Hills by “cut the route in half, eliminate the route to Peyton” and asked the committee to convey that request in a letter to the MARTA board.

The committee chair said he connected Dixie Hills citizens with a MARTA representative during the meeting to begin that process and said staff with the committee would provide answers as the matter is considered. No ordinance or vote on the bus route was taken by the committee; the remarks were part of public comment.