News

$23 Billion Transportation Wish List Released

ATLANTA — Leaders released a long wish list of transportation projects for metro Atlanta with a $23 billion dollar price tag.

The Atlanta Regional Roundtable published the list of 450 projects on their website on Wednesday. The group, made up of mayors, state lawmakers and members of the Atlanta Regional Commission, now must begin the process of pairing down the list before an August deadline.

The projects would be paid for with a 1-cent sales tax that will be voted in November 2012 by Georgia residents in 12 separate districts. The tax is projected to raise about $6 billion over 10 years, just a fraction of the money needed to cover projects on the round table's wish list.

The group said the goal is to form a tangible list of projects so voters will know where the money will be spent if they approve the extra tax.

We've got to show people what it is. We've got to prove to them we're going to take their penny, and we're going to improve their quality of life. We're going to produce some jobs and make a difference in this region," Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd told Channel 2's Lori Geary.

The list includes requests made by local governments as well as projects suggested by the Department of Transportation. It includes pricey items like $500 million in improvements to the Georgia 400 and Interstate 285 interchange, $1.5 billion for the Atlanta Beltline, and $463 million for commuter rail from Atlanta to Griffin.

Smaller items are also sprinkled in the list like resurfacing projects, bridge repairs and sidewalk improvements across 10 metro counties.

All revenue collected by the sales tax would stay inside the region with 15 percent going to local government to fund transportation projects and 85 percent going to fund the list of regional projects.

For the Atlanta Regional Roundtable's Unconstrained Project List click here.