Supplement to Georgia Trend

Transcription

1 Supplement to Georgia Trend

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3 TRANSPORTATION VOTE Moving Georgia s Economy Forward This summer Georgians will have the opportunity to vote on an entirely new method of transportation planning and funding, one based on regions and comprised of locally submitted projects. It s called a Regional Transportation Referendum (RTR). It has a simple, but very important purpose: keeping local tax dollars at work in the local community for much needed transportation upgrades and repairs. If the 1 percent sales tax is approved July 31 by all 12 transportation regions, Georgia transportation will have up to $19 billion in additional funding over the next 10 years. The special transportation tax is based on the same model that many counties and cities have been using for years to pay for everything from transportation upgrades to economic development and creative arts centers. Special Purpose Local Option Sales Taxes (or SPLOST), an extra penny on the dollar for purchased goods, is a popular way to help ease the burden of property and income taxes, since a heavy fraction of it comes from visitors to Georgia counties. The regional angle of the upcoming transportation refer endum emerged as the state wrestled with its outdated county by county infrastructure network, which required thinking outside territorial boundaries about projects that affect entire regions. The legislature drew a map based on the state's existing regional development commissions, and solicited projects from local leaders to create their individual project lists. The process took about two years and included dozens of roundtable meetings to establish which projects were best for each region. Top Georgia leaders, including Gov. Nathan Deal and House Speaker David Ralston, have all urged voters to support additional transportation funding to help keep Georgia competitive. Todd Long, former Georgia Department of Transportation director of planning, has said that the nearly $19 billion that could be raised will give Georgia the only chance it will have to address its transportation problems over the next 10 years, after which the tax would sunset. Furthermore, the deepening of the Port of Savannah to accommodate the bigger ships soon moving through a widened Panama Canal could lead to an explosive increase in the state s logistics industry. While bringing manufacturing and other economic sectors back to Georgia is good, it will increase freight traffic through the state. This fact must be addressed if we re to avoid making traffic congestion worse in Georgia and passing the transportation referendum is the best way to start. The projects funded by the transportation referendum would help spur growth throughout the state. That s why the economic development community has rallied behind it, and many political leaders are supporting it as part of a strategy to grow jobs in Georgia. This special issue provides an overview of what the transporta tion referendum would mean for the Metro Atlanta region. The planned projects do more than just improve the region s transportation network they improve the prospects of a better future for every Metro Atlanta resident. UntieAtlanta I 3

4 ECONOMIC BENEFITS The referendum project list is regional in nature, but has something for everyone in metro Atlanta. By making these improvements in the next 10 years, rather than or 30 years from now, these projects can be built cheaper, can improve transportation more quickly and have a positive economic impact sooner. Tad Leithead, chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission The intangible benefits of investing in traffic relief are immeasurable for road-weary commuters. We ll have more time to spend at home with family and friends, more time on the job for productive, income-producing work, more time for fun and leisure and less time stuck in frustrating traffic. While those intangibles are valuable but difficult to quantify, the economic benefits are very measurable. And according to the results of a team of independent economists, investing in regional transit will reap huge dividends for our region for decades to come. The Atlanta Regional Commission s analysis and fore - cast of the economic impacts of the 12 Atlanta Regional Transportation Referendum s passage show that by investing in traffic relief: Metro Atlanta will create or support an additional 0,000 new jobs, including jobs that are maintained year over year. The region would gain 34,000 new jobs in construction alone, allow - ing us to recoup more than half of the 57,000 construction jobs lost to the Great Recession. And of those 0,000 jobs, more than half would pay mid- to high-end wages. Metro Atlanta will realize a four-to-one return on invest - ment. The $8.5 billion invested will result in a $34.8 billion increase in gross regional product in the Atlanta region by 40, according to the ARC s team of econ omists. The region s investment in transportation will spark yet more rounds of investment and confidence in the region s viability. Companies and skilled workers will be more willing to bring their operations and families here, and traffic improve ments will also attract significant sums of federal spending. By investing in traffic relief, metro commuters will reap huge dividends as well as a healthier, more attractive region for businesses to bring jobs and skilled workers. Metro Atlanta will save $9.2 billion in travel time costs. The average metro Atlanta commuter spends $924 each year sitting in traffic. That alone amounts to a congestion tax that we spend each year in wasted fuel and nonproductive time. Because of the congestion relief the transportation investments will bring, the region will save an estimated $9.2 billion through 40. As a result of investing in transporta - tion, therefore, metro commuters could actually save money over the next 27 years. Metro Atlantans will realize an $18 billion increase in personal income. Due to the travel time savings and reduced fuel costs, incomes around the region will increase a collective $18 billion by 40. After several months of in-depth computer modeling and analysis and with input from regional policy experts and economists, we believe that these numbers represent a con - serva tive estimate of the positive impacts these projects would have on the region s economy, said Tad Leithead, ARC Chairman. The referendum project list is regional in nature, but has something for everyone in metro Atlanta. By making these improvements in the next 10 years, rather than or 30 years from now, these projects can be built cheaper, can improve transportation more quickly and have a positive economic impact sooner. 4 I UntieAtlanta

5 Myths and Facts Myth: Transportation improvements will do little to relieve traffic in our region. Fact: Investing in transportation improvements will take thousands of cars off the road and provide new trans - portation options for commuters all while reinvigorating our economy and attracting new businesses and new jobs to the region for growth into the foreseeable future. Myth: We can t afford another penny in sales tax to invest in transportation. Fact: We re already paying a hefty levy for traffic con - gestion you could call it a congestion tax. According to a team of economists, the average metro commuter pays $924 a year in wasted fuel and lost time as a result of traffic congestion. That tax is considerably more than the average commuter would pay in a one-penny sales levy. By investing in trans portation, metro commuters actually have the opportunity to save money by saving on rising fuel costs and spending more productive time at work. Myth: The Atlanta Beltline is an economic develop ment tool that won t advance regional transportation. Fact: The Atlanta Beltline has the potential of preserving the quality of life of every suburban community in metro Atlanta. According to ARC projections, 3 million more people are expected to move to metro Atlanta over the next three decades. Building the Beltline will attract more of those resi dents to the city of Atlanta, relieving conges tion and diminishing population growth in already overcrowded subur ban communities. Suburban residents who never use the Beltline will benefit from it by preserving the integrity of their communities. The Beltline also offers last-mile connectivity for residents who commute throughout the metro area to jobs in the city. Myth: The project list is heavily weighted toward transit, and transit won t relieve congestion since so few people in the region use transit. Fact: Building transit has the potential of taking the cars in front of you off the road relieving congestion and making it far easier for those who commute by car to get home and to work with less hassle and delay. In order to bring traffic relief to metro Atlanta we must offer commuters more options and transit is an option that, once developed, far more commuters will take advantage of. The Georgia Department of Transportation will also continue to focus on road-building and improvements to existing roads. Their efforts combined with the Regional Transportation Referendum project list will ensure that two-thirds or more of our tax dollars will flow to road-building and road improvements. Myth: My county isn t getting its fair share. Fact: Metro commuters benefit from investing in transporta - tion not just in their county of residence, but where they work, where they play and in universal improvements that help us all. About half of all metro residents commute to a county outside their county of residence, so they will benefit from improvements at home as well as improvements where they work. They ll also benefit from universal improvements that relieve congestion for all of us, such as the I-2/Ga. 400 Interchange. The July 31 referendum affords an opportunity for metro Atlanta to invest and grow as a region as a whole. Myth: There is not sufficient oversight, particu - larly since the Legislature failed to enact transit governance. Fact: Even in the absence of new transit governance legis - lation, there is substantial oversight in place for the regional transportation project list. The Georgia Regional Transportation Authority will oversee all transit-related projects, and the Georgia Department of Transportation will oversee all road projects. A Citizens Oversight Committee will audit the 157 projects on an annual basis and will bring transparency and fiscal oversight to every project on the list. This list cannot be changed. Myth: MARTA is wasteful and inefficient and the dollars allotted to MARTA will go to waste on a system that few people use. Fact: MARTA is the anchor for an integrated metropolitian transit system. When stacked against its national peers, MARTA is more cost-efficient and safer than systems of similar size. On a cost per ride basis, MARTA fares competitively with its peers. MARTA operates one of the largest compressed natural gas bus fleets in the nation, and provides maintenance and assistance to Cobb Community Transit and other systems with CNC buses. Without MARTA, we d be a far less economically vibrant region. We would not have attracted the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, we would have missed out on huge national conventions that have brought billions of dollars to Atlanta, and we would not have attracted Fortune 500 companies to metro Atlanta without a mass transit system. MARTA has been responsible for more growth and economic development throughout the region even in areas that it does not service than it gets credit for. Myth: This plan was thrown together by developers and public officials and fails to solve our region s transportation crisis. Fact: More than 0,000 citizens participated in this process and helped arrive at the 157-project list. And for the first time ever, our regional representatives mayors, county commission chairs and others gave unanimous approval to a project list that they believe will relieve congestion in their communities and in the region as a whole. UntieAtlanta I 5

6 Georgia s Transportation Network The Road to Future Growth When Caterpillar announced earlier this year it had selected Georgia for a $0 million plant that will eventually employ 1,400, it was a big and much-needed win for the state and a big pat on the back for Georgia s transportation network. The equipment manufacturing giant offered a number of reasons for picking a tract in east Georgia near Athens, but a deciding factor was more than 0 miles to the south Georgia s ports. Caterpillar expects to export some 40 percent of the equipment made at its new plant from the Port of Savannah, among the busiest and fastest growing in the world. Caterpillar is just the latest company to pick Georgia in part because of the state s highly ranked ports, international airport and rail and highway system. Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Chris Cummiskey says the state s great logistics network is one of the main selling points used to attract new business to Georgia. That network, he says, includes an international airport that is the busiest in the world, a port that is the fastest-growing port in the nation and a rail and highway system that allows shipments to reach 80 percent of the U.S. market within two days. The relationship of the state s transportation network to growth shows the importance of the July 31 transportation referendum. Passage of the referendum in 12 regions across Georgia will enhance the state s logistics network in a way that will shape the state s economy for generations to come. Projects as seemingly disconnected as the widening of I- 16 in the Coastal Georgia region and improving a bridge over the Oconee River in the Heart of Georgia region work together to strengthen Georgia s economic position as the Capital of the South. Hundreds of proposed projects will create a logistics network that will knit together our ports, highways, rails and airports in a way that will bring jobs here, improve safety on the roads and strengthen local communities. In a meeting with business leaders last year, Gov. Nathan Deal talked about the importance of the transportation referen - dum for future growth, using the ports as a prime example. He called passage of the referendum a critical piece in building the logistics network that feeds the ports of Brunswick and Savannah. It doesn t do a whole lot of good to get larger vessels into the ports if we can t get the cargo distributed around the state, he said. Georgia s ports are playing increasingly important roles in the state s economic growth. The Ports of Savannah and Brunswick achieved record volumes in 11 and the Port of Savannah is now the number-two export port in the nation. But also important is how the ports reach out to every county in the state and touch the lives of almost every Georgian. According to the Georgia Ports Authority, the state s deep - water ports and inland barge terminals support more than 295,000 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $15.5 billion in income, $61.7 billion in revenue and $2.6 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia s economy. Impressive figures any Georgian can relate to... and they re numbers expected to grow as the state looks to improve its transportation network with funding from the transportation referendum to be voted on July I UntieAtlanta

7 If you ask any Cobb or Cherokee county commuter where the biggest bottlenecks in the Northwest subregion of Metro Atlanta are, be prepared to sit and listen for a while. While the state of Georgia is taking on the Herculean task of addressing the daily congestion on I-, the Regional Transportation Referendum takes an all of the above approach when it comes to addressing the rest of the area s choke points. Windy Hill Road, for example, shows up in four different projects including a $77 million interchange improvement plan at I-. U.S. 41, also known as Cobb Parkway, also has four related projects. At its intersection with the aforementioned Windy Hill Road, a $93 million grade separation will provide a permanent fix to one of the region s most frustrating traffic signals. And let s not forget a total of $190 million on three separate projects to finally get State Route 140 (Hickory Flat Highway) in Cherokee County unclogged. While the Northwest Subregion has its fair share of road projects, there are also other modes of transportation funded to keep this area competitive for new business investment. The tremendous success of the Cobb Community Transit buses has shown there is a strong appetite for using alternatives to the single occupant vehicle. Premium enhanced transit service, likely to be bus rapid transit (BRT), will connect Acworth, Kennesaw and the Town Center area to the Arts Center station in Midtown Atlanta with fast, efficient transit service. This will give commuters easy access to major employ - ment centers in midtown and downtown, and air travelers will be able to save on steep parking fees by connecting to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. And speaking of air travelers, a new air traffic control tower and runway lighting approach system is planned for McCollum Airport. Business leaders visiting the area consider - ing their investment options look favorably on an airport that is safe and efficient, and these improvements will enhance the significant investment already made at McCollum. Many Cobb and Cherokee commuters will also be excited to see major upgrades to interchanges located in other counties. The nearly $650 million in local and federal funds that will be used to improve I-2 at Georgia 400, I- West and I- North gives hope for those who drive daily to other parts of the Metro Atlanta region not to mention the heavy tractor trailer traffic that is looking to deliver goods and products on time. Cobb County was the first local jurisdiction to complete its project list for the 15 percent match that will be spent on local needs around the region. Reflecting the top complaints of county residents, local leaders set aside $30 million for Northwest: Cobb & Cherokee 19/41 needed resurfacing projects and $ million on sidewalks and other bicycle/pedestrian access improvements. Northwest 2 PROJECTS TIA-CH-001: Bells Ferry Road at Little River - Bridge Replacement $7,000,000 TIA-CH-005: SR 140 (Hickory Flat Highway) from East Cherokee Drive to Mountain Road Widening $70,000,000 TIA-CH-006: SR 140 (Hickory Flat Highway) from I- 5 to East Cherokee Drive Widening $70,000,000 TIA-CH-009: SR 140 (Hickory Flat Highway / Arnold Mill Road) from Mountain Road to Fulton County Line - Widening Roadway $50,000,000 TIA-CO-001: Busbee Frey Connector from Busbee Drive to Frey Road - New Alignment $21,500,000 TIA-CO-006: US 41 (Cobb Parkway) from Barrett Parkway to Bartow County - Intersection Improvements at Nine Locations $9,800,000 TIA-CO-013: I- North at Windy Hill Road - Interchange Improvements $77,000,000 TIA-CO-016: SR 360 (Macland Road) from Paulding County Line to New Macland Road / Lost Mountain Road - Widening $30,000,000 TIA-CO-018: McCollum Airport - New Air Traffic Control Tower $2,500,000 TIA-CO-0: McCollum Airport - Runway Approach Lighting System $690,000 TIA-CO-021: Moon Station Road at CSX Railroad - New Alignment and Overpass $4,500,000 TIA-CO-024: River View Road from Nichols Drive to SR 280 (South Cobb Drive) - Corridor Improvements $16,500,000 TIA-CO-026: SR 1 (Roswell Road) from Bridgegate Drive to Timber Ridge Road - Safety and Operational Improvements $,000,000 TIA-CO-027: SR 280 (South Cobb Drive) from I-2 to Church Road / Oakdale Road - Corridor Improvements $9,000,000 TIA-CO-035: Enhanced Premium Transit Service - Acworth / Kennesaw / Town Center to MARTA Arts Center Station $695,000,000 TIA-CO-037: Windy Hill Road / Terrell Mill Connector - New Alignment $14,000,000 TIA-CO-043: US 41 (Cobb Parkway) at Windy Hill Road - Grade Separation $93,000,000 TIA-CO-045: SR 92 (Lake Acworth Drive) from US 41 (Cobb Parkway) to Cherokee Street - Widening $29,100,000 TIA-CO-046: Windy Hill Road from SR 280 (South Cobb Drive) to US 41 (Cobb Parkway) - Widening and Operational Improvements Roadway $26,999,900 UntieAtlanta I 7

8 2 North North Fulton and Northside 19/41 There s a tendency to think in terms of local projects on the Regional Transportation Referendum. But key projects stand out as regional in nature, and promise to untie the traffic knot in metro Atlanta not only in their counties of origin, but for miles in every direction to the benefit of commuters throughout the region. Clearly, one of those regional improvements is adding new collector and distributor lanes to the Georgia 400/ I- 2 Interchange. Snarls at that interchange create congestion throughout the region, and the proposed enhancements at the Georgia 400/I-2 interchange will get traffic moving on the perimeter from DeKalb and Stone Mountain Freeway to the east to I- on the west. Clearly, it is a universal project one that helps roadweary commuters far and wide not just the residents of North Fulton County. To untie the traffic knot in metro Atlanta, improvements to this critical interchange are essential. North Fulton will also benefit from a host of arterial road widenings and traffic enhancements to get this clogged part of the region moving again. Road widenings planned on Kimball Bridge Road, Old Milton Parkway, Arnold Mill Road, Abbotts Bridge Road and Atlanta Street will ease congestion and shorten commute times for residents and workers. North Fulton is a major employment center, so improve - ments to arterial roads benefit not only the traffic-choked residents of North Fulton County but those who work in the area and live elsewhere. That s just one of the many ways the Regional Transportation Referendum helps metro commuters: They benefit from congestion relief where they live, where they work, and from regional improvements such as improvements to the Ga 400/I-2 Interchange, that help untie the traffic knot for everybody. The Regional Transportation Referendum helps metro commuters where they live, where they work and from regional improvements such as improvements to the Ga 400/I-2 Interchange, that help untie the traffic knot for everybody. PROJECTS TIA-FN-002: SR 1 (Kimball Bridge Road) from State Bridge Road to Jones Bridge Road Widening $21,000,000 TIA-FN-003: SR 1 (Old Milton Parkway) from SR 400 to Kimball Bridge Road Widening $37,000,000 TIA-FN-005: SR 1 (Old Milton Parkway) at SR 400 and Morris Road Interchange Intersection improvements $1,900,000 TIA-FN-007: Rucker Road and Hardscrabble Road to Willis Road Operational Improvements $19,000,000 TIA-FN-0013: Hammond Drive from SR 9 (Roswell Road) to SR 400 Improvements $10,000,000 TIA-FN-014: SR 400 from I-2 North to Spalding Drive Collector Distributor Lanes $160,000,000, with a commitment of $30,000,000 in federal funds. TIA-FN-030: SR 140 (Arnold Mill Road) from Cherokee County Line to Rucker Road Widening $46,000,000 TIA-FN-034: SR 400 at SR 140 (Holcomb Bridge Road) Interchange Improvements $23,000,000 TIA-FN-035: SR 9 (Atlanta Street) from Chattahoochee River to SR 190 (Marietta Highway) Widening and corridor improvements $,400,000 TIA-FN-036: SR 140 (Houze Road) from Rucker Road to Mansell Road Operational Improvements $18,600,000 TIA-FN-043: SR 1 (Abbotts Bridge Road) from Parsons Road (east of SR 141) to Peachtree Industrial Boulevard Widening $28,000,000 8 I UntieAtlanta

9 Northeast: Gwinnett 2 Northeast 19/41 In many respects, Gwinnett County has long been a leader in the metro region for forward thinking investments schools, roads and a world-class water and sewer system. So when members of the regional roundtable sat down to prioritize projects in the Northeast subregion, they were not starting from scratch. Perhaps the greatest traffic frustration that Gwinnett motorists have felt over the years has been the undelivered promise of State Route 316. There have been numerous attempts to develop a plan that would complete the road as once envisioned, but each time the proposals faded and the work continued one intersection at a time, starting at I- and moving eastward. Evidence of that one-at-a-time approach is apparent today, as construction is just now beginning on the new State Route interchange. The Regional Transportation Referendum will literally hit the fast forward button on finally eliminating those dreaded, traffic-stopping red lights at Harbins Road, Hi-Hope/Cedars, and U.S. 29, enabling cars and goods to flow more freely and arrive at their destinations on time. In addition, Walther Boulevard will be realigned and routed over SR 316, providing a critical north-south connection point for the commercial traffic accessing the businesses along SR 1 and SR 317 (Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road). At the other end of the highway, often referred to as University Parkway, the largest economic development project to land in Georgia since 06 is taking shape. In February, Gov. Nathan Deal announced that global construction equip ment maker Caterpillar will create 1,400 jobs at a manufacturing plant near SR 316 and U.S. 78. Caterpillar CEO Doug Oberhelman said the project list was a deciding factor in locating in Georgia. A month later, construction had already begun at the site. (The) Transportation Investment Act is critical in making Georgia competitive, Oberhelman said at the Feb. 17 press conference. We ll work for it, from all of our employees perspective here in Georgia, to help get that passed here this summer. But there is much more to the Northeast subregion s project list than just moving commuters and Caterpillar excavators up and down SR 316. Three projects on U.S. 23/Buford Highway will widen a critical north-south corridor (and key alternative to I-) from Suwanee up to the Hall County line. Other major state routes such as Duluth Highway (SR 1), Buford Drive (SR ) and Peachtree Parkway (SR 141) that experience daily congestion will receive muchneeded traffic-relieving widening projects. Traffic flow improvements at Atlanta s most famous inter - change Spaghetti Junction (I- at I-2 in DeKalb County) will also be funded, as well as a complete reconstruction of the infamous I-2 at Georgia 400 interchange. But the biggest prize of all may be the long-awaited comple - tion of what is now called the Sugarloaf Parkway Phase 2 extension from SR 316 to SR. At a price tag of $296 million, neither the state nor local government could fund a project like this and have any money left over to build anything else. PROJECTS TIA-GW-003: US 23 (Buford Highway) from George Pierce Park to McGinnis Ferry Road Corridor Improvements $5,500,000 TIA-GW-004: US 23 (Buford Highway) from Old Peachtree Road to Sugarloaf Parkway Widening and Corridor Improvements $14,000,000 TIA-GW-006: US 23 (Buford Highway) from Sawnee Avenue to SR 347 in Hall County Widening $28,000,000 TIA-GW-009: Dacula Road at CSX Rail Line North of US 29 Bridge Upgrade $10,000,000 TIA-GW-011: Five Forks Trickum Road from Killian Hill Road to Oak Road Widening $10,400,000 TIA-GW-018: Hillcrest Road / Satellite Boulevard Connector New Alignment and Overpass at I- North $19,900,000 TIA-GW-025: I- North at SR 324 (Gravel Springs Road) New Interchange $33,300,000 TIA-GW-030: US 29 (Lawrenceville Hwy) from Hood Road to Hillcrest Road Multiuse Trail and Pedestrian Improvements $1,0,000 TIA-GW-031: I- North Transit Corridor (all phases) $95,000,000 TIA-GW-042: Pleasant Hill Road from Howell Ferry Road to Chattahoochee River Widening (Includes Bridge) $11,600,000 TIA-GW-048: SR (Nelson Brogdon Boulevard / Cumming Highway) from Peachtree Industrial Boulevard to Chattahoochee River Widening $40,000,000 TIA-GW-049: SR (Buford Drive) from I-9 to US 23 (Buford Highway) Widening $4,100,000 TIA-GW-052: SR 1 (Duluth Highway) from Langley Drive to SR 317 (Lawrenceville Suwanee Road) Widening $38,400,000 TIA-GW-056: SR 141 (Peachtree Parkway) from Peachtree Industrial Boulevard to Chattahoochee River Widening $46,000,000 TIA-GW-057: SR 316 at Harbins Road Grade Separation $23,000,000 TIA-GW-058: SR 316 at Hi Hope Road / Cedars Road Grade Separation $61,900,000 TIA-GW-059: SR 316 at US 29 Grade Separation $51,000,000 TIA-GW-060: Sugarloaf Parkway Phase 2 Extension from SR 316 to SR (Buford Drive) New Alignment $296,000,000 TIA-GW-067: US 78 (Main Street) at SR 124 (Scenic Hwy) Intersection Improvements $19,100,000 TIA-GW-069: Walther Boulevard North/South Connection New Alignment and Overpass at SR 316 $10,600,000 TIA-GW-070: West Liddell Road / Club Drive Connector New Alignment and Overpass at I- North $39,300,000 TIA-GW-073: Gwinnett County Bus Services $40,000,000 UntieAtlanta I 9

10 2 East East: Rockdale and Eastside 19/41 Outpacing the state, current census results show that Rockdale County has grown by more than percent. Industrial growth coupled with a dash of Hollywood glam have helped it navigate through the economic downturn. With growth comes the need for long-term transportation planning to ensure an enhanced quality of life for Rockdale s family-friendly citizens. No strangers to cross-county collaboration as it relates to transportation, local public officials have worked with legislators in neighboring Newton County on widening Highways 138 and 162. County Commission Chairman Richard Oden and Conyers Mayor Randy Mills both serve on the Atlanta Regional Roundtable and have given input on the transportation needs of the county s residents. Directly within the county, Rockdale receives over $67 million to fund roadway projects that will provide economic development opportunities and improve cross-county connec - tivity. This equates to a nearly $1,000 per resident investment in existing and future transportation projects that are critical to the growth and development of the county. Additionally, the Regional Transportation Referendum allows for county officials to allocate 15 percent of funds raised for local trans - portation improvements such as streetscapes, bikeways and sidewalks and traffic calming techniques. The TIA means jobs for our citizens, says Chairman Oden. In Rockdale County the TIA will include the widening of Sigman Road allowing us to create an employment and activity center in our community, and it will mean the construction of the Commerce Crossing Bridge finally getting under way to relieve traffic congestion heading north/south off Highway 138. These two major projects for Rockdale are huge for us! The completion of the widening of Sigman Road to a four-lane road is a cross-county arterial project providing access to I- from the northern areas of the county as well as counties to the north of Rockdale. Construction on this $30 million project will begin in 13 in conjunction with a related projected project allowing for the extension of Sigman Road south of I- to Hayden Quarry Road in DeKalb County. The increased capacity will reduce travel time. Another fully funded project is the construction of a nonaccess bridge over I- at Commerce Crossing from Old Salem Road to Old Covington Highway. By improving connectivity to Conyers from the southern areas of I-, this will also improve access to and from the Rockdale Medical Center for emergency vehicles, employees and families. Neighboring roadway projects within the East corridor include transportation improvements along Covington Highway, Panola Road, Thompson Mill Road and Rockbridge Road. The Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce believes that a broad tax base including resident and visitor spending will fund projects within our community. This funding will address our members economic development, job creation, and transportation needs in the coming years. As a business owner in the community, the easing of our transportation burden will allow my firm to better access clients and partners outside of our regular sphere of influence, says Thua G. Barlay, attorney with Barlay Law Group and the incoming chair of the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber. PROJECTS TIA-RO-001: Sigman Road from Lester Road to Dogwood Connector Widening and Corridor Improvements Roadway East Subregion $30,000,000 TIA-RO-003: Commerce Crossing from Old Salem Road to Old Covington Highway New Alignment and Overpass at I- $25,900,000 TIA-RO-008: Flat Shoals Road from SR 162 (Salem Road) to Old Salem Road Widening Roadway East Subregion Rockdale $11,400, I UntieAtlanta

11 Southeast: Henry County & Southeast 19/41 2 Southeast It wasn t long ago that Henry County was recognized as one of the fastest growing counties in the entire country. Catching up with that kind of growth is kind of like chasing Olympic gold medalist sprinter Usain Bolt no matter how hard you run you won t catch him until he slows down. The recent recession has allowed that process to start, how - ever traffic congestion around the entire Southeast area of the Metro Atlanta region still traps commuters in their cars. When the members of the Regional Roundtable looked at the needs of this subregion, they came to one defining con - clusion projects are needed everywhere. While the state of Georgia has rightly focused on fixing the I- corridor, the regional referendum will finally allow the connecting roads that most local businesses use to be addressed. There is no better example of this than the area around the Tanger Outlet Center in Locust Grove. The center draws an incredible 4 million visitors per year, however the road infrastructure serving the outlet mall has not been upgraded in years. The interchange improvements at I- and Bill Gardner Parkway, as well as the widening of the parkway from I- to SR 155 will finally grant shoppers access to and from their favorite discount stores. We are thrilled that city, county and state authorities recog - nize there is a need for road improvements in our immediate area and are working towards resolution, said Holly Duffey, general manager of Tanger Outlet Center in Locust Grove. Tanger Outlets is completely supportive of every endeavor to minimize inconvenience for our shoppers in an effort to make every shopping trip enjoyable. Another major corridor that is overdue for an extreme makeover is U.S. 23/SR 42 from Stockbridge to McDonough. Business owners will certainly be glad to see a widened, efficient roadway allowing customers and shipments to arrive on time. Much of Georgia s thriving economy has been driven by the Port of Savannah and the flow of goods up I-16 and I- to Atlanta. A recent University of Georgia study commissioned by the Georgia Ports Authority showed that more than $8 billion of goods shipped through Savannah end up in the Metro Atlanta region each year. Henry County has used its strategic location along that shipping corridor to its advantage, creating thousands of jobs in distribution centers, with many of those centers located near the I- interchange and State Route 155. The widening of SR 155 from Bill Gardner Parkway to Racetrack Road will allow efficient access to those distri - bution centers from I-. With many north-south routes included in the project list, roundtable members also knew east-west connectivity is critical to area employers. The pending completion of Eagle s Landing Parkway widening offers a parallel corridor to SR 138 in the northern part of the county. The regional referendum offers some badly needed additional east-west improvements, such as widening of SR 81 (Keys Ferry Road) leaving the city of McDonough and extending out to Bethany Road as well as the completion of the east-west one-way pair project on SR /SR 81 through downtown McDonough. An additional project will offer an alternative for local traffic on those days I- is clogged which is just about every day the Western Connector running parallel to the interstate from Hudson Bridge Road to Jonesboro Road. Finally, the entire Southern Crescent will be served by continued progress on the Atlanta to Lovejoy and Griffin commuter rail line. The $ million included in the Metro Atlanta referendum for the commuter rail line gets drivers one step closer to having a fast, efficient commuting alternative to U.S. 19/U.S. 41 and I- through Clayton, Henry and Spalding counties. This rail line also crosses regional boundaries, and if votes in other regions are successful, there could be as much as $80 million (included existing federal funding) available to jumpstart the long stagnated commuter rail service from Atlanta to Griffin and eventually to Macon. PROJECTS TIA-HE-001: US 23 / SR 42 from SR 138 to SR 155 Widening $44,000,000 TIA-HE-003: SR 155 (North McDonough Road) from Bill Gardner Parkway to Racetrack Road Widening (Phase 1) $48,000,000 TIA-HE-005: Bill Gardner Parkway from SR 155 (North McDonough Road) to I- South Widening $27,000,000 TIA-HE-008: SR /81 (Hampton Street / Keys Ferry Road) from Jonesboro Road at Norfolk Southern Railroad to Lemon Street Extension and Upgrade of One-Way Pair through McDonough $11,000,000 TIA-HE-011: Western Parallel Connector from Hudson Bridge Road to SR 9 (Jonesboro Road) New Alignment $17,000,000 TIA-HE-015: I- South at Bill Gardner Parkway Interchange Improvements $19,000,000 TIA-HE-016: SR 81 (Keys Ferry Road) from Lemon Street to Bethany Road Widening $27,000,000 TIA-CL-002: Atlanta to Griffin Commuter Rail (Fulton, Clayton and Henry Counties) $,000,000 UntieAtlanta I 11

12 2 19/41 South South: Clayton County and Southside On March 31, 10, the C-TRAN bus service, with a daily ridership of 8,000, terminated service as a result of county government budget cuts. A coalition of transit advocates, community leaders and transportation planners immediately responded with a coordinated campaign to put forth a nonbinding ballot initiative that allowed the residents of the county to vote to join a regional transportation system and provide relief to the lack of transit service. In November of the same year, the referendum passed by a resounding 70 percent vote. National transit groups touted it as the most significant victory for mass transit across the country. More than two years later, community groups and private companies have attempted to fill the needs of a large county devoid of public transit. A yes vote on July 31, 12 means Clayton County residents will finally be able to reap the benefit of their patience and hard work in seeking a transportation solution. Local bus service will be funded at $100 million for the next 10 years. The return of public bus service to the county means improved quality of life for transit-dependent residents like 57-year-old Carolyn McMillan, a Clayton County resident featured in a national story on the termination of C-TRAN. The return of public bus service allows for trans - portation options and choices for workers who commute to job centers such as Cobb Parkway, downtown Atlanta and the Perimeter Center. In addition to the return of public bus transit, an immense next step will be taken in making the Atlanta to Griffin rail line a reality by funding project planning and engineering studies. This long-term, commuter rail project is expected to connect our region by crossing through Henry, Clayton and Fulton counties. Reducing traffic congestion and improving safety were the two top concerns in developing the regional 157-project list. Fully funded at $28.5 million, the widening and recon - struct ing of Conley Road from I-2 to SR-54 (Jonesboro Road) will improve east-west connectivity and provide for road shoulders. This 1.13 mile corridor has exceeded the crash rates of similar corridors. Additionally, the project is aligned with the current redevelopment plans for Fort Gillem and Mountain View. It will also provide an alternative route from the new international terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to I-2 East. Another south side project benefiting multiple counties is the widening of SR 54 (Fayetteville Road) from McDonough Road in Fayette County to U.S. 19/41 (Tara Boulevard) in Clayton County. Linking existing four-lane connections in both counties, this project has already received just over $32 million in federal funds and allows for a 49 percent reduction in peak hour delay and a 77 percent reduction in congestion. A second bottleneck addressed on the Clayton project list is SR from Adams Drive to I- South. With over 2,000 vehicles per hour traveling to I-, road widening and interchange modifications along this corridor will improve peak hour delay by 32 percent and and cut congestion in half. The largest transportation improvement in the south corridor is tackling much-needed enhancements at U.S. 19/41 (Tara Boulevard) from I- South to Battle Creek Road. Tara Boulevard is a great example of a regional corridor connecting Henry, Clayton and Spalding counties and for providing access to the world s busiest airport and the Atlanta Motor Speedway. The redesign of this road will improve local traffic by separating it from through traffic. These eight projects, along with the $64.8 million Clayton will receive to address local transportation needs, will provide a strong foundation for attracting new residents and rebuilding the county. PROJECTS TIA-CL-002: Atlanta to Griffin Commuter Rail Region 3 (Fulton, Clayton and Henry Counties) $,000,000 TIA-CL-004: Conley Road from I-2 to SR 54 (Jonesboro Road) Widening Roadway South Subregion Clayton $28,500,000 TIA-CL-005: Jonesboro Connector from US 19/41 (Tara Boulevard) to Lake Jodeco Road New Alignment Roadway South Subregion Clayton $15,000,000 TIA-CL-006: Clayton County Local Bus / Fixed Route Transit Service Transit South Subregion Clayton $100,000,000 TIA-CL-012: SR 54 (Fayetteville Road) from McDonough Road in Fayette County to US 19/41 (Tara Boulevard) in Clayton County Widening Roadway South Subregion Clayton/Fayette $8,100,000 (TIA) $32,080,000 (Fed) $40,180,000 (Total) TIA-CL-013: SR from Adams Drive to I- South (includes interchange) Widening Roadway South Subregion Clayton $17,0,000 (TIA) $16,950,000 (Fed) $34,150,000 (Total) TIA-CL-014: SR from Pointe South Parkway to Roberts Drive Widening Roadway South Subregion Clayton $22,0,000 TIA-CL-018: US 19/41 (Tara Boulevard) from I- South to Battle Creek Road Super Arterial Concept Roadway South Subregion Clayton $102,170, I UntieAtlanta

13 Southwest: South Fulton 2 & Southwest Southwest 19/41 Leaving downtown Atlanta traveling north, east or west every weekday afternoon, the flow of traffic comes to a screeching halt at I-2. But traveling southwest towards south Fulton, Fayette and Coweta counties, getting past I-2 is a breeze most work days. That is, until the interchange with State Route 74 comes into view. This interchange has confounded not only drivers, but also traffic engineers who have tried a myriad of approaches to improve circulation. But like a beaver damming up a creek only to repeatedly see his work spring a leak, none of the improvements have provided a permanent fix. The existing design of the interchange, combined with current traffic volumes, results in delayed off-ramp movements that create backups on I-, limited left-turn storage on the overpasses, and unsafe speed differences on I-. The $22.5 million project funded through the regional transportation referendum includes ramp improvements that extend the interchange footprint towards the SR 92 and the Bohannon Road overpasses. The I-/SR 74 interchange project is the top priority for Fayette residents commuting from Tyrone and Peachtree City. However, the project is actually located in Fulton County, making this a great example of a regional project. There is no question that Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is an economic engine in this area of the Metro region and the entire state. Over 92 million passengers passed through the airport in 11, ranking it number one in passenger volume globally for the 14th straight year. As an employment center, over 56,000 workers are directly employed either in or around the airport. In addition to passengers and employees, air cargo continues to be a growing area of focus and a significant generator of economic activity. Recognizing this, the regional roundtable included improved road access to the airport on the referendum project list. A $60.2 million project to widen Camp Creek Parkway, will add two additional lanes between I- and Welcome All Road. It will also include installation of a fiber optics system allowing constant monitoring and management of traffic flow in the area. The referendum will also fund four separate projects to improve traffic flow on State Route 92, a critical business corridor in South Fulton and Fayette counties. More than $70 million will be put towards the four projects, including widening south of Fayetteville from Jimmy Mayfield Boulevard to McBride Road, intersection improvements in Fulton County at South Fulton Parkway and Hall Road, operational improvements along a 9-mile stretch from Glynn Street (SR ) in Fayette to Oakley Industrial Boulevard in Fulton, and a new connector road intended to relieve congestion on both SR 138 in Fulton and SR 92 in Fayette. A high-priority project for Peachtree City that stalled during the recent recession will be resurrected if the referendum passes. A collector road is planned from the end of MacDuff Parkway (off of SR 54) on new location ending at the northern end of Kedron Drive (off of SR 74). The intersection at SR 54 and SR 74 in Peachtree City causes daily congestion and consternation for local drivers and business traffic, and this new connector road will ease the pressure by diverting vehicles away from this daily choke point. Two segments of the South Industrial Park Path will be constructed, connecting the recently finished Flat Creek Bridge with the FAA facility, the Baseball & Soccer Complex, and numerous regional employers such as Cooper Lighting, SANY America, and others. On the other side of the Flat Creek Bridge, a second segment will be built connecting to the retail, restaurant and industrial corridor on Crosstown Drive and Crosstown Court. PROJECTS TIA-FA-005: MacDuff Parkway Extension Phase 2 New Alignment to Connect SR 54 to SR 74 New Alignment $6,400,000 TIA-FA-006: SR Phase 1 from Bernhard Road to Grady Avenue Widening $24,000,000 TIA-FA-010: South Industrial Park Path Connection $1,210,000 TIA-FA-013: SR 92 from Jimmy Mayfield Boulevard to McBride Road Widening $15,900,000 TIA-FA-014: SR from Bernhard Road to SR 74 Operational Improvements $5,900,000 TIA-FA-022: Southeast Industrial Park Path Connection $1,150,000 TIA-FA-026: SR 92 to SR 138 Connector New Alignment from SR 138 in Fulton County to SR 92 in Fayette County $18,300,000 TIA-FS-003: Hutcheson Ferry Rd at Atlanta Newnan Road and Rico Road Roundabout $1,0,000 TIA-FS-004: SR 6 (Camp Creek Parkway) from I- South to Welcome All Road Widening $60,250,000 TIA-FS-008: I- South at SR 74 Interchange Improvements $22,500,000 TIA-FS-016: Butner Road at SR 6 (Camp Creek Parkway) and Camp Creek Intersection and Bridge Improvements $3,500,000 TIA-FS-026: SR 92 (Campbellton Fairburn Road) at South Fulton Parkway and Hall Road Intersection Improvements $16,000,000 TIA-FS-028: SR 92 (Forrest Avenue) from SR (Glynn Street) in Fayette County to Oakley Industrial Boulevard in Fulton County Operational Improvements $,000,000 UntieAtlanta I 13

14 West 2 West: Douglas & Westside 19/41 The old saying goes that the only things certain in life are death and taxes. Commuters on the western side of Metro Atlanta will quickly tell you it is high time for an amendment to that old saw. Two daily rituals for anyone headed east towards downtown Atlanta are just as certain backups caused by congestion at I-2 and I- and Captain Herb Emory on WSB Radio complaining of sun - shine slowdowns as dawn breaks over the horizon. There s not much the regional transportation referendum can do about the sun rising in the east unfortunately we are stuck with that one. However, a $149 million project to completely rebuild the I-2 interchange with I- promises to finally fix a notorious problem child in Atlanta traffic. In many ways, this project is the perfect example of why a truly regional referendum is needed in Metro Atlanta. First, the sheer magnitude and cost of the project makes it difficult to fund under current state gas tax revenues, particularly with the Congressional balancing requirement that mandates the Department of Transportation spend equally across the state. Second, this interchange is actually in Fulton County, although it frustrates more commuters from South Cobb and Douglas on a daily basis. Other pending needs in Fulton County, such as the I-2 and Georgia 400 jumble, would certainly receive first attention of any county-level sales tax. There s not much the regional transportation referendum can do about the sun rising in the east unfortunately we are stuck with that one. However, a $149 million project to completely rebuild the I-2 interchange with I- promises to finally fix a notorious problem child in Atlanta traffic. So given the dwindling effectiveness of the state gas tax and the higher priority needs for drivers who actually live in Fulton County, the likelihood that this project would get funded through anything other than a regional referendum is iffy at best. The regional roundtable also added another nugget for I- daily commuters, a traffic control center (TCC) that will monitor conditions through an Intelligent Transportation System allowing greater information for drivers about what lies ahead. Just like you can t go to a Jimmy Buffet concert without hearing Margaritaville and Cheeseburger in Paradise, the greatest hits of Douglas County traffic hot spots will also be addressed through this regional plan. The longest chart-topper of the group is SR 92, which will see all three phases of a dramatic realignment and improvement plan receive funding. This stretch of SR 92, from Fairburn Road to Dallas Highway, is a constant source of frustration for both daily commuters and local business traffic. Major improvements to SR 6/Thornton Road, U.S. 78/Veterans Memorial Highway, and Lee Road/South Sweetwater Road also made the cut as the regional roundtable pared a list of $ billion in projects down to what the 10- year levy will raise in the Metro Atlanta region. Another exciting project is the Dorris Road Multiuse Path, which will see both Phase 1 and Phase 2 funded through the regional referendum. Both phases, stretching from the Transportation Center to I- West to Slater Mill Road, will offer Douglas County residents a way to get to the center and areas close by without getting in their cars. PROJECTS TIA-AR-046: I-2 West at I- West Interchange Improvements $149,000,000 TIA-DO-002: I- West from I-2 West to SR 5 ITS and Western Regional Traffic Control Center $19,000,000 TIA-DO-003: SR 92 from Fairburn Road to Dallas Highway Phases I, II and III Realignment $49,000,000 TIA-DO-006: Lee Road / South Sweetwater Road from I- West to US 78 (Bankhead Highway) Widening $18,900,000 TIA-DO-007: US 78 (Veterans Memorial Highway) from SR 6 (Thornton Road) to Sweetwater Road Widening $,000,000 TIA-DO-009: Dorris Road Multiuse Path Phase 1 Transportation Center to Prestley Mill Road $650,000 TIA-DO-010: Dorris Road Multiuse Path Phase 2 Prestley Mill Road from I- West to Slater Mill Road $2,210,000 TIA-DO-018: SR 6 (Thornton Road) from Paulding County Line to Riverside Parkway Truck Friendly Lanes, ITS, Intersection Improvements and Partial Widening $43,000,000 TIA-FS-018: I-2 West at Cascade Road Interchange Improvements $23,600,000 TIA-FS-019: SR 70 (Fulton Industrial Blvd) from SR 6 (Camp Creek Parkway) to Frederick Drive Intersection Improvements at Multiple Locations $7,500, I UntieAtlanta

15 Central: Downtown and Midtown 2 Central 19/41 Imagine Atlanta as a region in which workers, students, residents and visitors can ride a subway, streetcar or light rail vehicle to reach their destinations. This summer s Transportation Referendum offers the region a chance to resume building its transit network. The projects in the City of Atlanta included in the refer - endum incorporate 10 miles of streetcar transit connected to the existing MARTA system. They link to more than 100,000 jobs in Midtown and Downtown as well as regional destinations like Piedmont Park, the Georgia Aquarium and Phillips Arena, and two universities, Georgia Tech and Georgia State. These new segments of the network will reach more than a dozen historic and emerging neighborhoods on the east and west sides of the Atlanta BeltLine a developing system of green space, multi-use trails and transit that is transforming the heart of the city. With three connections to the MARTA system in Midtown, Downtown, and on the Westside the result will be an integrated regional transit network that more efficiently transports people within the city and from the suburbs to the city and vice versa. In less than 30 years, the metro Atlanta region is expected to add 3 million residents. Five metro counties are projected to double their population. Fulton County is predicted to add nearly 400,000 people. Roads alone will not be able to absorb this population increase. More transportation options are needed to prevent the region from choking on its own growth. Building new options like transit will not only give people more choices but will shift development patterns so more of the growth is concentrated in urban areas. People will be able to use transit, removing more cars from our congested roads. When housing and transportation costs are combined, Atlanta s cost of living typically perceived as relatively low ranks as 7th worst out of 51 metros nationally. This stands to contribute to a potential brain drain in the region. I recently graduated from Georgia Tech and I m starting a career. I can go anywhere I want right now, said Jonathan Weidman, a Midtown resident. I m looking for a city that offers me mobility options where I can easily access places to eat, go out and meet people, as well as great cultural attrac - tions. Most of my friends feel the same way. Atlanta has outstanding potential as a warm weather city with lots of young people, but for me, the referendum is make or break. If it passes, I see my future here. If not, I don t feel the need to stick around. Atlanta can become a transit-friendly region that invests in its roads and bridges, too. Numerous traffic improvement projects included in the Transportation Referendum will improve pedestrian and driver safety. In the City of Atlanta, they include street resurfacing and traffic signal coordination on Peachtree and Spring Streets, Boulevard and Ponce de Leon as well as critical bridge repair and replacements. Funding of state of good repair improvements for MARTA to protect the substantial transit investment the region has already made is also included. In addition, millions of dollars each year will fund local projects like sidewalk improvements and road repairs across the city. The City of Atlanta s projects in the Transportation Referendum will not only reduce congestion by providing viable alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles. By encourag - ing denser development where it belongs in the heart of the City these projects will attract economic development, strengthening our region s global competitiveness. PROJECTS TIA-AT-004: Atlanta Beltline and Atlanta Streetcar Transit and Trail Downtown to Northeast Transit Central Subregion Atlanta $165,952,132 TIA-AT-007: Atlanta Beltline and Atlanta Streetcar Transit and Trail Downtown and Midtown to Southwest Transit Central Subregion Atlanta $435,940,345 UntieAtlanta I 15

16 2 Central Central: City of Atlanta 19/41 For the hundreds of thousands of metro commuters who consume expensive fuel and precious time stuck in highway traffic, exiting a freeway ramp just to wind your way through clogged city traffic adds insult to injury. That s why the Regional Transportation Referendum takes a multi-pronged approach to untying the traffic knot in the city, from an investment in the Beltline and the Atlanta Streetcar to a host of bridge replacements, traffic signalization and other improvements to surface streets that will make city driving less frustrating and considerably more time-efficient. Among those improvements are critical bridge replace - ments along the CSX Rail Line at Pryor Street, Central Avenue and Courtland Street at the MARTA east rail line. Major corridors throughout the city Peachtree Street, Ponce de Leon Avenue, 10th and 14th Streets, Howell Mill in West Midtown and Piedmont Road from Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to Cheshire Bridge Road will receive significant corridor and signalization improvements that will untie clogged roads and make it far easier for residents and commuters to ply city streets. Improvements to transit in the city including bus rapid transit from the city limits to Cheshire Bridge along Peachtree Street and Piedmont Road will help take cars off the road and provide options for road-weary residents and commuters. Finally, long-overdue improvements to the interchange at I-2 West and Greenbriar Parkway will considerably improve traffic flow in Southwest Atlanta and in the vicinity of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Regions from Dallas to Denver are investing in transit connections, Mayor Kasim Reed wrote in a recent newspaper article. The TIA referendum is our best chance at building transportation infrastructure to restore the economy s health. If approved, this 1 percent sales tax will provide more than $7 billion over the next 10 years on critical road, transit, pedestrian and bicycle improvements in the 10-county region. We must rise to the challenge and not let the metropolitan Atlanta region fall behind. If we succumb to old political tactics that attempt to divide Atlanta and the rest of the region, we will all fail. Central: DeKalb You re an Emory professor, a CDC disease expert. You live in Alpharetta, and there s no freeway not even a clogged one that gets you from there to the Emory Corridor. The current route: A packed Georgia 400 South to I- to Druid Hills, with stop-and-go traffic eating up 35 to 50 minutes. Exit at Druid Hills and fight traffic for another 25 minutes to get to Emory. But there s another route. The region can invest in transporta tion improvements, including the Emory Corridor that includes a rail line from the MARTA Lindbergh Station directly into the Clifton Corridor. Now your commute looks like this: Hop on the train in North Fulton to Lindbergh and then on to Emory, the Centers for Disease Control, Children s Hospital of Atlanta Egleston and other destinations working on a laptop, ipad or cell phone all the way. Whether your home is in Rockdale or DeKalb, Gwinnett or Cobb, the proposed Clifton Corridor project gets you there. It s one of the most important employment centers in the region, and under the Regional Transportation Referendum a long-awaited plan to free its clogged, inadequate arterial roads would come to fruition. And that s just one of the many projects that will get Central DeKalb moving again. The Buford Highway corridor benefits from pedestrian and landscape improvements, as well as bus rapid transit enhancements. The critical Ashford Dunwoody Road corridor (SR 141) receives needed improvements to I-2, providing an alternative to Georgia 400 for those who work south of Dunwoody. College Avenue (U.S. 278) from Adair Street to North Clarendon Avenue receives critical improvements, providing greater access to freeway-locked Decatur. And improvements to Glenwood Road from Candler Road to Covington Highway will help ease traffic congestion on I-. While reducing traffic congestion lessens commute times and improves the quality of the air we breathe, it also should be considered that as these transportation projects are built, thousands of jobs will be created, said DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis. As we rebuild our infrastructure, we can put residents back to work. Everyone in the metropolitan regions stands to gain. 16 I UntieAtlanta

17 CITY OF ATLANTA PROJECTS TIA-AT-001(14): Pryor Street at CSX Rail Line and MARTA East Line Bridge Replacement Roadway $32,100,000 TIA-AT-001(4): Central Avenue at CSX Rail Line and MARTA East Line Bridge Replacement $27,000,000 TIA-AT-001(40): Piedmont Avenue from Cheshire Bridge Road to Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Multimodal Corridor Improvements Roadway $ 3,604,908 TIA-AT-001(47): 10th Street from Howell Mill Road to Monroe Drive Traffic Improvements $ 462,500 TIA-AT-001(48): 14th Street from Howell Mill Road to Piedmont Road Traffic Improvements $ 5,000 TIA-AT-001(49): Auburn Avenue from Peachtree Street to Boulevard Traffic Improvements $643,0 TIA-AT-001(5): Courtland Street at CSX Rail Line and MARTA East Line Bridge Replacement $22,000,000 TIA-AT-001(50): Boulevard from US 78 (Ponce de Leon Avenue) to SR 42 Spur (McDonough Boulevard) Traffic Improvements $ 1,150,000 TIA-AT-001(51): Courtland Street from Linden Avenue to Gilmer Street Traffic Improvements Roadway $0,000 TIA-AT-001(52): US 78 (Donald L. Hollowell Parkway) from SR 70 (Fulton Industrial Boulevard) to US 41 (Northside Drive) Traffic Improvements $ 1,025,000 TIA-AT-001(53): Edgewood Avenue from Peachtree Street to Elizabeth Street Traffic Improvements Roadway $527,667 TIA-AT-001(54): Howell Mill Road from I- North to 10th Street Traffic Improvements Roadway $512,500 TIA-AT-001(55): Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard from West Marietta Street to SR 139 (Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard) Traffic Improvements $1,188,0 TIA-AT-001(56): Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive from Fairburn Road to Washington Street Traffic Improvements $3,000,000 TIA-AT-001(57): SR 154 (Memorial Drive) from Peachtree Street to SR 155 (Candler Road) Traffic Improvements Roadway $738,0 TIA-AT-001(58): Monroe Drive from Piedmont Circle to US 78/278 (Ponce de Leon Avenue) Traffic Improvements $706,250 TIA-AT-001(59): North Avenue from US 41 (Northside Drive) to US 23 (Moreland Avenue) Traffic Improvements $457,500 TIA-AT-001(60): US 19/41 (Northside Drive) from West Paces Ferry Road to Whitehall Street Traffic Improvements $525,325 TIA-AT-001(61): SR 9 / SR 141 (Peachtree Road) from Peachtree Dunwoody Road to Collier Road Traffic Improvements $1,713,450 TIA-AT-001(62): Peachtree Street from Spring Street to SR 154 (Trinity Avenue) Traffic Improvements $434,8 TIA-AT-001(63): SR 237 (Piedmont Road/Avenue) from SR 9 (Roswell Road) to Edgewood Avenue Traffic Improvements $612,000 TIA-AT-001(64): US 78/278 (Ponce de Leon Avenue) from Spring Street to Clifton Road Traffic Improvements $618,125 TIA-AT-001(65): Spring Street from Peachtree Street to SR 154 (Trinity Avenue) Traffic Improvements $1,292,125 TIA-AT-001(66): SR 139 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive) from SR 280 (H.E. Holmes Drive) to Lamar Avenue Multimodal Corridor Improvements $7,395,000 TIA-AT-001(67): Campbellton Road from SR 139 (Lee Street) to Atlanta City Limits Traffic Improvements $1,259,900 TIA-AT-001(68): SR 54 (Jonesboro Road) from McDonough Boulevard to City Limits Traffic Improvements $806,625 TIA-AT-010: I-2 West at Greenbriar Parkway New Interchange Roadway I-2 Corridor Atlanta $36,400,000 TIA-AT-021A: SR 237 / SR 9 between Atlanta City Limits and Lindbergh MARTA Station Bus Rapid Transit and Road Improvements Roadway/Transit $50,000,000 DEKALB PROJECTS TIA-DK-007: Decatur to Clifton Corridor Transit Connectivity and Safety Improvements Bike/Ped $ 5,000,000 TIA-DK-014: Ashford Dunwoody Road from SR 141 (Peachtree Road) to I-2 North Corridor Improvements $5,000,000 TIA-DK-018: SR 13 (Buford Hwy) from Lenox Road to Shallowford Terrace Pedestrian, Landscape and BRT Improvements Bike/Ped $12,000,000 TIA-DK-021: Clifton Road at CSX Railroad Bridge Replacement and Associated Improvements to Haygood Road Roadway $25,000,000 TIA-DK-022: US 278 (College Avenue) from Adair Street to North Clarendon Avenue Corridor Improvements Roadway $5,000,000 TIA-DK-029: Glenwood Road from SR 155 (Candler Road) to US 278 (Covington Highway) Corridor Improvements Roadway $5,000,000 TIA-DK-030: Hayden Quarry Road / Sigman Road Extension from Turner Hill Road to I- East New Alignment Roadway East Subregion DeKalb/Rockdale $27,000,000 TIA-DK-033: North Indian Creek Drive from SR 10 (Memorial Drive) to Montreal Road Corridor Improvements Roadway $5,000,000 TIA-DK-042: North Druid Hills Road from SR 13 (Buford Highway) to US 29 (Lawrenceville Highway) Corridor Improvements Roadway $25,000,000 TIA-DK-043: Panola Road from Thompson Mill Road to US 278 (Covington Highway) Widening Roadway $15,150,000 (TIA Funding) $15,150,000 (Federal Funding) $30,300,000 (Total) TIA-DK-048: Rockbridge Road from SR 10 (Memorial Drive) to SR 124 (Rock Chapel Road) Corridor Improvements Roadway $7,500,000 TIA-DK-055: I- East at Panola Road Interchange Improvements Roadway $10,600,000 (TIA Funding) $10,600,000 (Federal Funding) $21,0,000 (Total) TIA-DK-057: US 23 (Buford Hwy) / SR 141 (Peachtree Industrial Central Boulevard) Connector New Alignment $25,000,000 TIA-DK-059: Perimeter Center Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Program Roadway $ 1,000,000 TIA-DK-069: Mt Vernon Road from Fulton County Line to Dunwoody Club Drive Corridor Improvements Roadway $12,000,000 UntieAtlanta I 17

18 An Unprecedented Opportunity Some people say we can t afford a new tax. But we re already paying a tax a congestion tax, spent by every metro commuter on wasted fuel and lost time. The congestion tax cost the average metro driver $924 a year and if we don t invest in transportation, that number will only rise. Sam Williams, President of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce It s time for us to think as one region, to act as one region, to invest as one region. That s the opportunity that investing in transit offers metro Atlanta, and it is an unprecedented opportunity. Never before has metro Atlanta voted as a region to invest in the common good in a way that will benefit not just all of the component parts, but the region as a whole. Because it is a first-ever exercise, many are asking, What s in it for me? Let s count the ways that a single resident living in, say, Cobb County, will benefit from a regional investment in transportation. First, let s assume that this commuter is among the half of Cobb residents who commute to another county for work. Let s also assume that the individual resides in Cobb because she enjoys the quality of life there open spaces, big yards, and a lack of shoulder-to-shoulder urban density. There are at least three ways that resident will benefit from investing in transit: One, she will directly benefit from new roads and other transportation projects in Cobb County. They amount to more than $1 billion, and they will create thousands of new jobs, unclog arterial roads and help our Cobb resident make it to school or church or soccer games on time. Two, she will benefit from road improvements in the county where she works. Let s say that county also takes about a $1 billion share of the investment. This single resident has now benefitted from $2 billion in transportation improvements. Third, there are universal improvements that benefit us all. Every single driver in metro Atlanta benefits from improvements in the I-2/GA 400 Interchange. Clogged traffic at that interchange affects traffic for miles in every direction. Our Cobb resident will also benefit tremendously from the Atlanta Beltline, even though she doesn t live in Atlanta and may never use the Beltline. The Beltline is key to maintaining her lifestyle in Cobb County. Metro Atlanta is expected to attract 3 million more residents over the next years. Would you rather they move to Cobb and Cherokee, snarling traffic and lowering the quality of life? Or would she prefer that those newcomers move to Atlanta, which with the Beltline will have the capacity to attract and absorb millions of new residents? The Atlanta Beltline, by attracting hundreds of thousands if not millions of new residents, has the potential to help maintain the integrity and beauty of suburban communities. Some people say we can t afford a new tax. But we re already paying a tax a congestion tax, spent by every metro commuter on wasted fuel and lost time. The congestion tax cost the average metro driver $924 a year and if we don t invest in transportation, that number will only rise. Meanwhile, paying an extra penny in sales tax won t come anywhere near $924 a year for the average consumer. By investing in transit, metro commuters actually have the opportunity to save money while making our region more attractive to businesses and jobs-creation. It s time for metro Atlanta to come together as one region. And there s no better way to do it than by investing in transportation improvements that help us all. 18 I UntieAtlanta

19 Included in the print version of this supplement that was distributed with the April 12 edition of Georgia Trend magazine was a list of supporters. The printed list mistakenly included a number of organizations that have not contributed to or supported the Citizens for Transportation Mobility campaign. The list has been removed from this on-line version of the supplement. CTM sincerely regrets the error, and apologizes for any confusion that the mistake may have caused. UntieAtlanta I 19

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