July 31st marks the vote for the future of transportation in Metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia. Also known as the Transportation Investment Act (TIA) 2012 or TSPLOST, the vote next month is a defining moment in our economic growth and development. Traffic is killing our city. Businesses leave (or choose not to come) to Atlanta every year because of our increasing transportation problems: lengthy commutes, limited alternative transportation options, vast environmental impacts, and millions of dollars wasted in gas, time, and maintenance. Atlanta is WAY behind on transportation. Our city spends less on transportation than almost any other area (48th in the nation for capital transportation expenditures) and at the same time are the 9th most congested. While other cities are exploring ways of getting people out of cars and into transit, Atlanta continues to just maintain (70% of our funds are spent on maintenance).
We finally have a solution. The 2012 TIA represents a bi-partisan program that will invest 8.5 BILLION dollars over the next 10 years to help to untie our traffic knot and make our region more competitive again. It means a penny sales tax region-wide to support transportation projects throughout the Atlanta region (and others throughout the state). All funds raised will stay in the 10-County region and can be used to support a wide range of projects. A very important item to note is that all the projects have already been decided upon- this is not something where the money will be used, politically, in a different way than was promised.
The Transportation Investment Act called for the formation of a Regional Roundtable, made up of county commissioners and mayors from all ten counties. Projects considered for funding by the referendum can be found here (PDF).
Investments in regional transportation will help create and support hundreds of thousands of jobs -- and will free up our clogged roadways so we can be more productive at work and spend more time at home. Investing in our region will bring jobs, prosperity and an improved quality of life for decades to come.
Just a few points to consider:
- We need more money invested in transportation in Atlanta, period. It will happen one way or another (gas tax, property tax, etc.). This is by far the most economical and well laid out plan we've ever had. To think of getting that many mayors and government officials together and then to agree on a project list ever again is highly unlikely.
- Transportation improvements take time! Part of this money will go to create the infamous Atlanta Beltline, but even if that gets 100% funding, it's still years and years (I think ~ 20) away from final completion. We need to start these projects now for future generations. Wouldn't it have been great for those before us to do the same?
- We can't afford not to. There are other states and urban areas just waiting for us to say no. Business will move away taking jobs and economic growth with them. We will become stagnant and known as a place where we aren't willing to invest in our failing infrastructure.
Now for you local folks, here is a list of what the TIA will do directly to improve DeKalb County:
- $700 million: Extension of rail transit from Lindbergh to Clifton Corridor
- $25 million: Corridor improvements for North Druid Hills from Buford Highway to Lawrenceville Highway
- $25 million: Construction of a new connecting route between Buford Highway and Peachtree Industrial
- $10.6 million: Interchange improvements to I-20 E at Panola
- $25 million: Replacements and expansion of Clifton Road bridge over the railroad to allow for bike/ped lanes
- $142 million: local improvement projects such as intersection improvements, sidewalks, signal timing, etc.
For more information on projects and how to get involved, please see the links below:
- Untie Atlanta: Advocacy Group
- Atlanta Regional Commission: Regional planning and intergovernmental coordination agency for the 10-county area
- Transform Metro Atlanta: Educational Group
- T-SPLOST.com: Fact sheet & Project list
