Georgia: $1 Billion for Roads, Not a Dime for Transit

[marmar]

Journal-Constitution, via MassTransitMag:



The state Senate is poised to vote today on a billion-dollar plan to solve Georgia's transportation troubles. But something is missing.

Funding for any form of mass transportation isn't anywhere to be found in HB 170, the transportation funding bill, which would devote those hundreds of millions of dollars to roads and bridges.

The lack of investment in transit by the state's politicians seems a puzzling disconnect from what metro Atlantans — who account for half the state's population and about two-thirds of its gross domestic product — say is the best way to clear the key arteries in the car-clogged heart of Georgia.

Traffic was seen as the biggest problem facing metro Atlanta, according to respondents to a 10-county regional survey last year — moreso than even the economy, public education and crime. Forty-two percent in the Atlanta Regional Commission poll said expanding public transit was the best way to fix traffic. By comparison, 30 percent thought improving roads and highways was a better solution. ...............(more)

http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/11889355/1-billion-for-roads-not-a-dime-for-transit

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Atlanta's road traffic is among the most clusterf*cked in the country.

No city needs a good public transportation system more than Atlanta but they can't get a dime for it. What's wrong with those people?

[brer cat]

2. Good public transportation

would allow black citizens easy access to white suburbs. Not hard to understand at all. F#%ked up is right.

[TryTwoFour]

3. Clayton Co though did approve 23 million per year.

Clayton Co, adjoining Atlanta/Fulton Co, has re instituted mass transit (Marta) service to the county via a 1 cent sales tax increase - approved by a whopping 75% of voters.
http://www.news-daily.com/news/2015/mar/03/clayton-county-prepares-to-meet-marta-where-to-go

So while the 100 million state bill in fact does not have mass transit funding, 23 mil from Clayton is nothing to sneeze at - and should have drawn more attention in her piece. The lower to lower middle income bracket people it will assist certainly are thrilled.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

4. I hadn't dug into it but I figured this was the case

I would expect that the surrounding counties would put a substantial amount into transit.

[brer cat]

8. Clayton County is majority black.

I don't have figures handy, but historically, majority-white surrounding counties like Gwinnett have opposed expansion of mass transit. I certainly could be wrong, but I believe racism is the primary hold-up to Atlanta area mass transit.

[Phentex]

5. Missing from this story: 1 BILLION to be spent on a single project...

Yes, different pots of money and not related to the money in this story but the GA DOT is about to spend 1 billion on the GA 400 I-285 interchange project.

Again, different funding... we can't expand medicaid in this state but we CAN spend 1 billion on one interchange?????

[steve2470]

6. I bet there's also NO money allocated for snow emergencies...

Atlantans, remember this when you go vote, and when you get stuck in the ice next time (in the next 5 to 10 years, surely).

[rafeh1]

7. go ask gm lobbyists