CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Over the next six weeks, it will take you longer getting to the Atlanta airport if you take the MARTA train.

The station is temporarily shut down for what MARTA officials are calling necessary improvements.

“This station in particular one of the busiest stations we have with 11,000 coursing through it on a daily basis,” said Collie Greenwood, MARTA General Manager and CEO.

The MARTA station will remain closed until May 19 to allow for the renovation of the airport concourse and platform levels of the station. It’s one of the many phases of an overall major airport renovation project, which includes billions to expand and upgrade the airport.

“Yes, it’s going to be disruptive, yes. It’s going to be messy, but that’s progress. I promise you it will be temporary. I promise you it will be worth it,” Greenwood said at a news conference announcing the closure.

Officials put up signs all over the Airport MARTA Station, some of them electronic, warning riders that the station will be closed for six weeks.

“It’s pretty convenient because if you stay in the city, everybody knows it’s a straight shot,” Omar Youssef said.

Youssef lives near the Garnett MARTA station and works at the airport, so MARTA is easy for him. He knows starting Monday he’s going to have to make some adjustments, but that’s OK with him.

“As I’m seeing on the news updates, they’re saying they’re having a shuttle over at the College Park station. So it’s all about adjusting and I’m ready to make those adjustments.

MARTA says the six-week closure will reduce the overall construction time by months and more closures are planned for 2025.

MARTA will have nightly closures for 10 months and there could be another 6-week closure to install a new canopy structure.