For years, transit has failed to gain much traction at the Georgia Capitol. Even as increasing numbers of cars continue to clog Atlanta streets and it gets harder to get around the city in a reasonable amount of time, there seemed to be little movement on finding fresh solutions. Democrats have made efforts to revitalize transit over the last few years but have been met with rejection by a Republican majority more focused on other issues.
However, the 2018 legislative session could make a turning point for transit solutions and their advocates. Legislators spent months studying potential transit solutions and should soon unveil their results. The simple fact of the matter is that Georgia can only expand its highways so much and alternative solutions are needed to reduce congestion.
The potential to attract $5 billion and 50,000 new jobs to the City of Atlanta and the state is certainly pressing on legislators’ minds as well. Amazon has made it clear that access to public transportation is near the top of their list of needs for their next headquarters, and the lack of meaningful investment in MARTA and other transit programs is probably Atlanta’s biggest weakness in its otherwise strong position.
As a result, it is safe to expect some movement on transit this year, though not all of it will necessarily be welcome. A controversial bill in the works would consolidate all 11 transit agencies across 13 metro Atlanta counties, including MARTA, under one regional transit authority. Proponents argue that it would streamline the cross-county transit process, while detractors are concerned about how funding would work for such a body. There will no doubt be a great deal of debate on the merits of such a system.
Even if no fruits are borne from these efforts this year, renewed interest in transit will ultimately be a benefit to everyone. Atlanta and its citizens will see the most immediate benefits, but rural Georgia could eventually see investment as well with this shift in thinking. Many Western European countries have nationwide rail networks that link small villages to major cities, which is the sort of thing that could finally being business and prosperity back to many of Georgia’s suffering towns.
That may not happen any time soon, if ever, but stranger things have certainly happened under the Gold Dome.
