Regional
Express Bus/Arterial Road Program to Begin
Order for First Buses Authorized by GRTA Board
ATLANTA
- Fifty-eight express buses carrying more Atlanta commuters could be
rolling through 11 counties within a year while arterial road
improvements get under way to clear the counties' high-priority traffic
chokepoints, under a state-sponsored plan approved Wednesday.
The
Board of Directors of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA)
today approved the purchase of 48 clean-fuel buses for the first phase
of the 11-county, Regional Express Bus system. An additional 10
buses, to be operated by Gwinnett County Transit, are to be ordered in
the near future. The buses will be paid for with a combination of
state, county, and federal funds.
At
the same time, work has been authorized to begin on some of the region's
most-congested and most-needed arterial roads, including McGinnis Ferry
Road, Georgia 20, East Hiram Parkway, Eagles Landing Parkway and
Perimeter Center Parkway, also using state funds.
"GRTA
has made careful and judicious adjustments to the Regional Express Bus
systems after a thorough review of the original plan," said
Governor Sonny Perdue. "These adjustments will allow the
region to move forward in the most cost-efficient manner. We have
also examined the Arterial Road Program and remain committed to
providing state bonds for these projects along with the Regional Express
Bus system. This is a cost-effective, balanced plan that will
serve metropolitan Atlanta citizens and commuters well."
The
substantial savings in the program were created by deciding to lease
rather than construct park and ride lots, and by consolidating the
planned maintenance facilities.
In
the spring of 2002, 11 metropolitan Atlanta counties signed agreements
with GRTA that provided for the implementation of a regional express bus
system and a series of arterial road improvements in the counties.
In exchange for funds from the state for the construction of the
arterial road improvements, the counties are providing funds for the
system.
The
11 counties participating in the Arterial Road and Regional Express Bus
Program are Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton,
Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding, and Rockdale.
A
list of Arterial Road Projects and an Express Bus Map and fact sheet are
attached.
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