The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), the official planning agency for much of the Atlanta metro area, approved the spending of $45 million from the federal Infrastructure and Jobs Act, which passed last November. The funding represents an amendment to the region’s Transportation Improvement Program, the official transportation arm for the commission.
“These projects will offer better transportation options across the Atlanta region and foster greater equality and sustainability,” said Anna Roach, Executive Director of ARC. “It’s important to note this is just a small taste of what’s headed to metro Atlanta from the $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure law. It’s a historic opportunity to invest in metro Atlanta and build a better future for all residents.”
The total cost of the projects in the new spending plan is actually $58 million. This includes required local matching funds, a frequent strategy from the federal government to ensure local buy-in and commitment to projects.
The biggest expense on the list is a regular expense for local governments these days, updating bus fleets. MARTA will receive more than $12 million to purchase 22 compressed natural gas buses, something that will likely pay off rather quickly considering diesel costs these days.
An additional $11.9 million will go to local transit agencies, possibly including MARTA, to purchase electric buses and install Electric Vehicle charging stations. Both this funding and the MARTA natural gas purchases utilize funds available through the law’s Carbon Reduction Program, something the Biden administration has made a priority as much of the Democratic base agitates for action on climate change.
Clayton County will be receiving nearly $10 million to update their main transit center in Jonesboro, including the installation of covered waiting areas and restrooms. Cobb County will also receive $11.5 million for system wide updates to the CobbLinc transit system, improving safety and accessibility through things like curb cuts and crosswalks.
The projects were approved in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Transportation, which also contributed some projects to the update for the Transportation Improvement Program. These projects include $640,000 for road expansion in Barrow and Henry County; bridge improvements in Barrow, Dawson and Walton Counties; and specific truck-friendly lanes in Cobb and Douglas Counties.
Some of these projects were already on the docket for implementation or completion but were able to be moved forward on the calendar because of the availability of new funding. Many of the projects were also developed with the input of local transit agencies, with special attention to projects for which new funding could be authorized by the state government before the end of the fiscal year this month.
