The Board of Directors for the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority (ATL) recently adopted the agency's ATL Regional Transit Plan (ARTP).
The ARTP serves as a critical first step for transit investment in the region. It is the primary source for transit projects to be considered by the Atlanta Regional Commission for inclusion in the federally required short-range Transportation Improvement Program and long-range Regional Transportation Plan. The ARTP contains a list of transit projects from which the ATL Board may select and recommend to the state for potential state bond funding each year.
“The ARTP will allow the ATL to make data-driven, objective recommendations on critical transit projects for state and federal investment,” ATL Board Chairman Charlie Sutlive said in a statement. “This approach will allow the region to be more competitive on the national level in drawing down federal funding for projects.”
In total, 192 projects were submitted for inclusion in the 2019 ARTP by local governments, transit operators, Community Improvement Districts, and other project sponsors. Projects were submitted across all 10 ATL Districts and totaled $27 billion inclusive of capital and operations and maintenance over a 20-year period.
“We believe that the level of impact that this $27 billion dollar portfolio of projects provides will better prepare us to address the mobility challenges we’ll face with the additional 2.9 million people expected to descend on the Atlanta region in the coming years,” ATL Executive Director Chris Tomlinson. “Moreover, our process of engaging citizens and key regional stakeholders gave us a greater understanding of how we can help improve mobility and promote seamless connectivity in their communities.”
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SOURCE: Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority
