Projects

The Atlanta Regional Transportation Roundtable’s primary task is to develop a list of projects to be funded by the penny sales tax. This compilation of projects and services must be affordable based on the amount of expected revenue, and it must be popular enough with the public that people across the Atlanta region will vote for it in 2012.

Final Report (5mb) posted October 13

Proposed Investment List Amendments

At their September 16, 2011 meeting, the Roundtable approved a process for submitting and considering amendments to the investment list. Each amendment motion must be submitted in writing by a Roundtable member, with another member identified as a second to the amendment. Each amendment will be considered and voted upon separately. Approved amendments will be incorporated into the Final Investment List, which is scheduled for approval on October 13, 2011. Below are the amendments received to date:

Roundtable Amendment Votes Sep./Oct., 2011 (Excel file)

1. Amendment 01 (PDF)
   Passed unanimously on 9-28-11
   Hood Avenue and Duff Parkway – Proposed by Fayette County Chairman Herb Frady; seconded by Fayetteville Mayor Ken Steele; approved at September 28, 2011 meeting and will be incorporated into Final Investment List to be considered on October 13, 2011.
   
   
2. Amendment 02 (PDF)
   Withdrawn on 10-11-11
   Commuter Rail – Proposed by Clayton County Chairman Eldrin Bell; seconded by Union City Mayor Ralph Moore; tabled at request of Chairman Bell at September 28, 2011 meeting.
   
   
3. Amendment 03 (PDF)
   Failed
   Parker Road and Northwest Corridor Transit – Proposed by Rockdale County Chairman Richard Oden; seconded by Conyers Mayor Randy Mills; to be considered at October 6, 2011 meeting.
   
   
4. Amendment 04 (PDF)
   Failed
   Sigman Road and Northwest Corridor Transit – Proposed by Rockdale County Chairman Richard Oden; seconded by Conyers Mayor Randy Mills; to be considered at October 6, 2011 meeting.
   
   
5. Amendment 05 (PDF)
   Substitute Amendment Passed
   Northwest Corridor and Multiple Cobb Projects – Proposed by Cobb County Chairman Tim Lee; seconded by Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews; to be considered at October 6, 2011 meeting.
   
   
6. Amendment 06 (PDF)
   Passed
   Commuter Rail and Multiple Clayton Projects – Proposed by Clayton County Chairman Eldrin Bell; seconded by Lake City Mayor Willie Oswalt; to be considered at October 6, 2011 meeting.
   
   
7. Amendment 07 (PDF)
   Withdrawn on 10-11-11
   I-20 East Transit and SR 400 – Proposed by DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis; seconded by Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd; to be considered at October 6, 2011 meeting.
   
   
8. Amendment 08 (PDF)
   Passed
   Camp Creek at Butner– Proposed by Fulton County Chairman John Eaves; seconded by Union City Mayor Ralph Moore; to be considered at October 6, 2011 meeting.
   
   
9. Amendment 09 (PDF)
   Substitute Amendment Passed 10-11-11
   Douglas - Xpress and Other Regional Projects – Proposed by Douglas County Chairman Tom Worthan; seconded by Henry County Chairwoman B.J. Mathis; to be considered at October 6, 2011 meeting.
   
   
10. Amendment 10 (PDF)
    Withdrawn on 10-11-11
    Xpress and Other Regional Projects – Proposed by Henry County Chairwoman B.J. Mathis; seconded by Cherokee County Chairman Buzz Ahrens; to be considered at October 6, 2011 meeting.
    
    
11. Amendment 11 (PDF)
    Passed
    SR 400 and Hammond – Proposed by Union City Mayor Ralph Moore; seconded by Fulton County Chairman John Eaves; to be considered at October 6, 2011 meeting.

Draft Investment List

On June 1, 2011, the GDOT Director of Planning provided the Atlanta Region Roundtable with an unconstrained $22.9 billion list of projects which met all eligibility requirements for funding consideration. This is the list from which any project recommended for inclusion on the referendum in July 2012 must be drawn.  On August 15, 2011, the Atlanta Regional Roundtable’s Executive Committee approved the Draft Investment List, which is fiscally constrained to the $6.14 billion of revenue projected to be available for implementation of regional projects.  This list will undergo public review and comment and may be modified before the full Roundtable approves a Final Investment List (currently scheduled for October 13, 2011).

• (Aug. 31, 2011) Draft Investment List (PDF)
  
  
• (Aug. 31, 2011) Fact Sheets for Projects on Draft InvestmentList (PDF)
  
  
• Interactive Project Map
  
  
• Project Maps by Corridor (what is a corridor?)

Projects Still under Consideration

All projects on the original $22.9 billion unconstrained list submitted to the Roundtable on June 1, 2011 remain eligible to be included on the Final Investment List to be approved in October 2011.  No project has been officially eliminated from consideration at this time.

• (Aug. 26, 2011) Fact Sheets for Other Projects Still Under Consideration (PDF)
  
  
• Interactive Project Map
  

Tools for the Roundtable

• Updated Transit System Performance Information (PDF) (based on Draft Investment List approved by Roundtable Executive Committee on August 15, 2011)
  
  
• (September 2011) Following the Money (PDF)– A summary guide for understanding the “85/15” issue.
  
  
• (August 2011) Transit Finance Recommendations White Paper (PDF)
  
  
• (July 2011) GRTA Transit Project Cost Estimate Review Presentation (PDF)
  
  
• GRTA Transit Project Review (June 2011)
  
  
• GDOT Metro Area Deliverability Assessment (June 2011)
  
  
• GDOT Estimates: Discretionary Projections Based on 2011 LMIG Data, 2010 Census Data, and the State Economist's Base Case Regional Sales Tax Forecast (PDF)

The Process

The process of compiling this project list is underway. Here is a look at how it works:

• March 2011 - Local governments around the region gave their list of transportation priorities to the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) for review.
  
  
• April 2011 – After removing duplications and clerical errors, ARC compiled the individual lists into one draft list and submitted it to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). This list includes 437 projects worth an estimated $24 billion.
  
  
• June 2011 – After considering all the projects and measuring them against the criteria established by the Roundtable in 2010, GDOT gave its “unconstrained” list to the Roundtable’s Executive Committee for its consideration. It is called “unconstrained” because there are no financial limits placed on it.

• August 2011 – Based on public input and the region’s greatest needs, the Executive Committee submits a “financially constrained” Draft Investment List to the full Roundtable for consideration. It’s called financially constrained because it can realistically be funded by the expected sales tax revenue (approximately $6.14 billion over a 10 year period).
  
  
  

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• September 2011 - The public reviews and comments on the Draft Investment List.  Potential changes to the project list are discussed by the Roundtable.
  
  
• October 2011 –The Roundtable approves the region’s Final Investment List and submits it to GDOT.
  
  
• July 2012 – Voters across the Atlanta region vote on the referendum in the general primary election.
  

Roundtable Commitment to a Regional Project List

At its June 9th meeting the Atlanta Regional Roundtable’s Executive Committee made the following Commitment to the residents of the ten county region:

Roundtable Commitment: The Atlanta Regional Roundtable is committed to an open and transparent process that creates a regional project list that:

• Considers transportation projects that create significant regional impact, yet reflects the unique conditions of different areas in the region
• Values connectivity across the region
• Is multimodal
• Relieves congestion, expands transportation options and creates jobs
• Can be delivered on time and on budget
• Reflects the community’s priorities as gathered through extensive community input
• Is a strategic piece of a larger effort to dramatically improve mobility and advance PLAN 2040, the regional transportation, transit and land use plan
• Leverages the maximum amount of federal funds available to the region
• Creates short term and long term solutions to Atlanta's transportation problems
• Serves all segments of the region’s diverse population through comprehensive solutions
• Uses technology where appropriate to improve efficiency and safety
• Considers connections to adjoining regions

The list will complement and supplement existing transportation and land use plans. It will position Atlanta to compete for businesses and jobs while improving the quality of life, reducing traffic congestion and enhancing safety.