Regional Transportation Referendum
Transportation and a More Livable Future
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Metro Atlanta drivers have the longest commute in the country. With the average commute time being two hours and seven minutes per round trip, Atlanta is more congested than Los Angeles, Washington, Chicago and Houston. Traffic impacts us all; it creates additional stress in our lives and diminishes our quality of life.
Although many residents of Cobb County traditionally leave the county for work each day, by the numbers Cobb is a net importer of daily commuters. Several surrounding counties, such as Cherokee or Paulding, are net exporters of commuters, with many of their residents commuting to or through Cobb each day. This adds to the traffic congestion in our community. View the traffic patterns of June 2011 for more information.
Other American cities (Charlotte, Denver, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Dallas, Houston and Phoenix) have already invested in transportation. These communities have taken proactive steps to enhance their economic competitiveness and quality of life.
The Transportation Investment Act (TIA) provides a plan for metro Atlanta to address our clear and pressing transportation problem. It's up to metro Atlanta residents to study the act and decide if the plan is an appropriate solution.
About the Transportation Investment Act
The TIA gives metro Atlanta residents the opportunity to vote on a one percent sales tax to fund transportation projects throughout the metro Atlanta region. Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties will all be affected.
If approved, the additional tax will raise $7.22 billion in 2011 dollars over a ten year period. Of this amount, 85 percent will fund specific interstate highway, state roadways, transit, sidewalks, bike paths and other projects. The additional 15 percent will be allocated to every city and county in the region for local projects to be selected by such governments.
On July 31, 2012, residents of metro Atlanta will decide whether to approve a penny sales tax to support these projects.
Additional resources:
ARC Show 18, “Transportation and a More Livable Future” from Atlanta Regional Commission.
Regional resources for up-to-date information on the Regional Transportation Referendum
Transform Metro Atlanta
Cobb County-specific projects passed by the Regional Roundtable in October of 2011, which voters will be asked to approve in the Regional Transportation Referendum on July 31, 2012.
Cobb County Government Regional Transportation Referendum
Cobb County Specific TIA Projects
The 15 percent allocation goes back to each jurisdiction in the region based on population and lane miles and can be used only for transportation purposes. Examples of possible usage would be repaving roads, fixing potholes, improving signal timing and sidewalks and increasing the number of bike paths. Annually, Cobb County and its six cities are projected to receive $17,022,737 in local allocation funds. Cobb is one of the only counties to have produced a list of local projects that will receive priority funding, should the TIA pass this year.
Percentage Breakdown for Cobb County Projects
Resource from the Atlanta Regional Commission regarding travel patterns within the Atlanta region:
Regional Travel Patterns
Economic Modeling results on future Transportation Investment
Atlanta Regional Commission Transportation Investment Act
Vote Yes on July 31
Metro Atlanta Voter Education Network - Educational Video
Regional Project List Fact Sheets
Video: A Calcuated Approach
Other Important Transportation Initiatives:
Northwest Corridor Project:
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), proposes to make transportation improvements to Interstate 75 (I-75) and I-575 in the Atlanta metropolitan region. The improvements are collectively referred to as the Northwest Corridor Project.