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GRTA
Mission
It
is the mission of GRTA to provide the citizens of Georgia with
transportation choices, improved air quality, and better land use in
order to enhance their quality of life and promote growth that can be
sustained by future generations.
Existing Transit Service Inventory
In 1999,
the General Assembly created the Georgia Regional Transportation
Authority. State law charges GRTA with the responsibility to plan
and implement regional transportation facilities and services, improve
the region’s air quality, reduce traffic congestion, and improve
the planning process throughout the Atlanta air quality “nonattainment”
area. If other areas of the state become non-compliant with federal
air quality standards, they also will fall under the purview of
GRTA.
Realizing
that traffic and other growth-related problems must be addressed
on a regional basis, the Legislature granted GRTA broad powers in
its dealings with local governments. GRTA’s 15-member board
is empowered to issue $1 billion in revenue bonds and $1 billion
in general obligation bonds, the latter of which must be approved
by the General Assembly. The Authority can assist local governments
in financing mass transit or other projects to alleviate air pollution.
GRTA board approval is also required for land transportation plans
in the region, and for use of federal or state funds for
transportation projects associated with major developments such as
large subdivisions or commercial buildings, that affect the
transportation system in the metro Atlanta region. Local
governments can override a GRTA veto of use of transportation
funds for a development project with a three-fourths
"supermajority." more>>
Previous
Studies
Since
1990, a number of transit and transportation studies have been completed
or are currently underway in the Atlanta region. In whole or in
part, results of these studies may be relevant to development of
the Regional Transit Action Plan (RTAP). As an RTAP building block,
the following sections of this report summarize significant findings
and recommendations from recent Atlanta-area transit and transportation
studies. more>>
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