Transportation
Aviation
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport serves as a major origin, destination and connecting point between America and the world. In fact, for the eighth consecutive year since 1998, Hartsfield-Jackson has maintained its position as “the world’s busiest passenger airport” and surpassed Chicago’s O’Hare in 2005 in total flight operations as well. The airport had 994,466 flight operations in 2007, accoding to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In 2007, a total of 86 million passengers traveled through the airport, and the airport’s long-term master plan indicates that 121 million passengers will pass through Hartsfield-Jackson by 2017.
To accommodate this substantial growth projection, Hartsfield-Jackson opened its $1.2 billion fifth runway in May 2006. In addition to another runway, the airport is planning another passenger terminal, enhanced road and rail access, more parking facilities and an expanded "people mover" (above-ground train).
More than 80 percent of the U.S. population and 79 percent of the nation’s 150 largest metro areas are within a two-hour flight time from Hartsfield-Jackson. The airport is served by 42 airlines that fly directly to more than 170 domestic and over 50 international destinations. Hartsfield-Jackson was designed for high air-traffic volume, and currently facilitates more than 2,600 flight takeoffs and landings daily. Aircraft operations are forecasted to increase to 3,400 daily flights by 2015.
Highway Network
Seven interstates service the metro Atlanta community. Atlanta is one of only five cities in the U.S. served by three major interstate highways. Interstates 75, 85, and 20 intersect near the center of the city, and a 63-mile circumferential highway, I-285, links these highways with other major arteries, providing excellent access throughout the Atlanta region. Additionally, Georgia Highway 400 ties into the interstate system in central Atlanta and extends northward, serving the northern suburbs as a multi-lane, limited-access, divided highway.
Rapid Transit
Atlanta's rapid transit system is being developed and maintained by the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), and is the ninth-largest transit system in the country. Presently 38 stations and 48 miles of rail line are open and in operation, connecting to 125 bus routes, and transporting 450,000 passengers daily throughout the metro area. MARTA's Airport Station is one of five in the U.S. to be located within an airport. MARTA is regularly recognized as one of the cleanest and safest public transportation systems in North America. When completed, the world-class MARTA rapid-rail system will include 60 miles of rail line and 45 stations.
Commercial Rail
Atlanta grew up as a railroad town and continues today with a 4,900-mile network of main and branch lines running throughout the state, connecting in Atlanta. CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads have located their largest rail classification and intermodal freight yards here. Each of these companies operates 80 freight trains in and out of Atlanta daily. One-day freight service is available to Atlanta from the ports of Savannah and Brunswick, Ga., Jacksonville, Fla., and New Orleans, La.
Fiber-Optic Infrastructure
Atlanta ranks fourth in the U.S. for the presence of Internet backbone company natural access points and is considered the autobahn of fiber-optic networks due to its geographic location, private-sector planning, and the presence of telecommunication innovators such as Lucent Technologies and BellSouth. Atlanta is situated along two major fiber corridors, running along the East Coast and from Chicago to Florida. It is estimated that 28 long-haul cables converge in Atlanta. This number – compared to New York City, which has eight long-haul cables - proves that Atlanta will continue to play an important part in drawing technology-driven companies to the area. More than 100 Internet service providers offer service throughout metro Atlanta.
