Thirteen metro-Atlanta counties could have a chance to become part of regional public transit system. Lawmakers approved the re-branding of MARTA to the ATL and it will serve as the core of regional public transit expansion.
Residents in the 13 counties ranging from as far south as Coweta, east to Rockdale and north to Cherokee could get a chance to vote on joining the system.
MARTA CEO Jeffrey Parker said the transit authority should be able to handle more counties coming online.
“No county is going to just vote immediately and flip the switch and all of a sudden hundreds and hundreds of buses are now operating in a county where they weren’t,” Parker said. “These things are going to happen incrementally.”
Parker said it would be up to counties to decide if they want to join the new system and then assess what types of services to offer to their residents.
He said he envisions most transit expansion will be through express bus services, although rail could be expanded outside of MARTA’s current jurisdiction.
Douglas County Commissioner Kelly Robinson said his county current public transit options work well for people commuting to Atlanta.
“We do a good job of moving people out of the county,” Robinson said. “We do a good job of moving commerce through Douglas County; we do a great job of moving that. But we don’t do a good job of moving our people around.”
Robinson said they need more options for people to get from place to place within the county. Right now, they offer a senior voucher program, van and car pools, and are planning a pilot program with a few stops in the county. He said there are jobs available but people with limited mobility options needs a way to get to them.
“If those high paying jobs can only be met by hiring local people and they don’t have mobility options that means people from across the river or somewhere else can come and get those jobs,” Robinson said.
Gwinnett County Chairman Charlotte Nash also weighed in on whether residents in her county would want to become a part of the larger system.
“Gwinnett County has a transit development planning process underway,” Nash said. “The first order of business is to complete that work. I anticipate that Gwinnett will certainly hold a referendum on transit, but the nature and timing of the referendum has not been determined”
Gov. Nathan Deal has until May 8 to sign the public transit legislation, which would put the decision in the hands of the counties.
Counties also have the option of creating a special purpose local sales tax to help fund transit expansion.
