City of Atlanta

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City of Atlanta

• Community Partners Briefing
• On Transportation
• May 6th, 2004

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Vision Statement

• The City of Atlanta is the regional leader for
  efficient, effective and affordable
  transportation systems that promote quality of
  life through sustainable development, land use,
  economic development, and best environmental
  practices.

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COA Transportation Strategy

• Enhance accessibility
• Support mobility regional connectivity
• Create an affordable and walkable city
• Link development to transportation infrastructure
• Exceed standards for air, water and environmental
  quality
• Maintain and optimize existing transportation
  Infrastructure
• Increase funding for transportation

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Objectives

• Build consensus for COA vision with our
  transportation planning and decision-making
  partners
• Prioritize COA and regional transportation
  projects
• Ensure a balanced multi-modal transportation
  approach
• Link transportation strategies to jobs, land use,
  recreational, and environmental systems
• Secure funding, land and other resources for our
  priorities

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Link Development to Transportation
Land use policies and programs that
promote effective and efficient use of
transportation investments

• Livable Centers Initiative (mixed-use,
  mixed-income)
• Multi-Modal Corridors
• Transit Oriented Development
• Zoning (Special Public Interest Quality of
  Life)

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Livable Centers Initiative (LCI)

• Best strategy to improve the regions
  walkability, air-quality, and land use
• Promotes mixed use and higher density development
  relative to other areas
• COA has requested that ARC extend and expand the
  LCI Program
• 17, 414,170 funded for COA projects in current
  TIP
• 3M per project limit constrains urbanized areas
  where right of way and construction costs are
  higher

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Multi-Modal Corridors

• Concentrate future growth along Atlantas
  established commercial corridors
• Most corridors currently are served by transit or
  have plans for future service
• Link activity centers
• Corridor studies currently underway to identify
  and address
• Zoning and land use changes
• Transportation infrastructure needs
• Development opportunities

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Transit Oriented Development

• Maximize investment in transit by increasing
  ridership through dense mixed-use development at
  MARTA stations
• MARTA and COA partnering on several projects
  (Lindbergh Center)
• Promote TOD through innovative financing tools
• Tax allocation districts (TAD)
• Impact fee credits
• Density incentives

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Quality of Life Special Public Interest Zoning

• Requires development to use best sustainable
  practices and quality urban design through zoning
• Provides mechanism requiring the provision of
  transportation infrastructure improvements
  concurrent with development
• Sidewalks
• Streetscape
• Shared parking

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Major Regional Transit Projects

• Multimodal Passenger Terminal (MMPT)/Commuter
  Rail
• Beltline/C-Loop
• I-20 East Corridor (MARTA GRTA)
• West Line Extension (MARTA GRTA)
• NWCS Phase II (Marietta Blvd./Alt-C)
• NWCS Phase I (I-75/Alt-A)
• I-285 Bus Rapid Transit
• Regional Express Bus

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MMPT/Commuter Rail

• 3,400 daily passengers (Lovejoy to Atlanta)
• MMPT Phase I includes minimal train platform
• Subsequent phases to include privately
  constructed mixed use development around and
  above MMPT
• Lovejoy to Atlanta Phase I (26 miles)
• Future commuter rail lines to Macon, Athens,
  Canton, Bremen, Senoia, Madison, and Gainesville
• Connects to MARTA, Greyhound and regional express
  bus
• Capital Costs 106,000,000
• Operation Cost 6,000,000 per year

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MMPT build out concept
CENTENNIAL TOWER
FORSYTH ST.
MARTA 5-POINTS STATION
CNN CENTER
PHILLIPS ARENA
NEW STREET
MARTA PHILLIPS ARENA STATION
NUNN FEDERAL CENTER
SPRING ST.
ALABAMA ST. EXTENSION
MLK DRIVE
RUSSELL FEDERAL BLDG.
CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK DRIVE
GEORGIA RAIL PASSENGER PROGRAM Multi-Modal
Passenger Terminal (MMPT) Concept Design
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MMPT build out concept
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Beltline/C-Loop

• 41,144 daily passengers
• In town 22-mile transit greenway connecting 50
  neighborhoods to MARTA
• Feasibility study to be completed in the fall of
  2004
• Preliminary results shows it outperforming other
  2030 RTP transit projects
• Capital Costs 507,000,000
• 2,500 acres of underutilized/redevelopable land
• TAD study underway
• 7,000,000 in TIP for right of way acquisition,
  1,500,000 for trail

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MARTA I-20 East Corridor

• 14,493 daily passengers
• Bus Rapid Transit from West Ave. to Garnett MARTA
  Station
• Runs predominantly along I-20
• Capital Costs 356,000,000
• Operating Costs 22,900,000
• Included in the draft 2030 RTP as a GRTA project

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MARTA West Line Extension

• 12,500 daily passengers
• New heavy rail transit station at I-285
• New bus rapid transit extending to Fulton
  Industrial Blvd.
• Capital costs 398,000,000
• Operating costs 7,000,000
• No included in draft 2030 RTP

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Northwest Connectivity Study- Phase II Marietta
Blvd. (previously Alternative C)

• 40,000-52,000 daily passengers
• Bus Rapid Transit connecting Cobb Town Center to
  Midtown
• Uses I-75, U.S. 41, I-285 and Marietta Blvd.
• Relies on HOV lanes by GDOT
• Capital Costs 1,300,000,000
• Operating Costs 30,000,000 per year

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Transportation Partner Agencies

• Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) Planning,
  Funding and Regional Coordination
• Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)
• Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA)
• Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)

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ARC 2030 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)

• Developing the 2030 Regional Transportation Plan
  (RTP) and 2005-2010 Transportation Improvement
  Program (TIP)
• Constrained RTP approximately 50B, down from the
  74B Aspirations Plan
• Presentation by ARC and opportunity for public
  comment - Atlanta Civic Center, June 8, 2004
• Full plan adoption in January 2005

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Draft 2030 RTP Cost Breakdown By Project Type
Other 600 million (1)
Roadway expansion 7.2 billion (14)
Roadway Maintenance and Operations
(Non-transit) 11.4 billion (23)
HOV system expansion 5.3 billion (11)
Transit expansion 5.6 billion (11)
Transit Maintenance and Operations 15 billion
(30)
Bicycle / Ped / LCI 1.4 billion (3)
Traffic Signal Optimization 3.5 billion (7)
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MARTA Initiatives

• New fare collection system
• New bus purchases
• Railcar reconditioning and purchasing
• Beltline - 149,500,000 in draft RTP
• C-Loop BRT (Lindbergh to Emory) - 48,000,000 in
  draft RTP
• Memorial BRT Corridor - 15,000,000 in draft
  RTP/TIP

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Georgia Regional Transportation Authority -
Priority Initiatives

• Fast Forward funding program 15.5 B
• Bus Rapid Transit from Cobb Town Center to
  Midtown (NWCS Alt-A) - 996,000,000
• Regional Express Bus System
• I-20 East Corridor - 270,000,000
• Regional coordination of traffic signals and
  other technology improvements
• West Line BRT extension
• North Line BRT extension

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Georgia Department of Transportation - Priority
Initiatives

• HOV Program - 5.3 B
• 15th Street Bridge - 57,000,000
• 14th Street widening projects - 42,300,000
• Reconstruction of downtown bridges - 40,583,000
• Commuter Rail Program only Macon in the draft
  RTP Athens, Senoia, Canton, and Bremen not
  included

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COA Transportation Priorities

• Optimize traffic flow through signal timing and
  coordination
• Marietta Blvd. Corridor (NWCS Phase II)
• Bridges Across Interstate (5th St.,14th St., 15th
  St., Capital Homes, Buckhead pedestrian/ shuttle
  bridge)
• Peachtree Streetcar

• MMPT/Commuter Rail
• Beltline/C-Loop
• Preserve and modernize MARTA
• Sidewalk/streetscape and bike programs
• Bridge and roadway reconstruction and maintenance

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A Financially Stable MARTA

• Backbone of the regional transit system
• Supports regional accessibility
• The 9th largest transit system at 550,000 daily
  passengers
• Largest system without significant support from
  the state DOT
• Sales tax in Fulton and DeKalb Counties and the
  City of Atlanta

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Atlantas contribution to the transportation
system

• Gas tax paid at the pump
• Federal tax 18.4 cents/gal
• State excise tax 7.5 cents/gal
• Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax dedicated
  to MARTA (SPLOST)
• User fees or tolls
• COA general obligation bonds (Quality of Life
  bond)
• Community Improvement Districts (CID)
• Development impact fees
• Tax Allocation Districts (TAD)

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COA Transportation funding from State and Federal
sources (2003-2005 TIP)
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COA Local Transportation Funds
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Funding Opportunities

• Increase COA share of transportation funds at the
  regional, state and federal levels
• Demonstrate the need for ARC to increase the
  constrained RTP budget (include regional transit
  funding, public/private partnership, or
  reapportion)
• Expand the criteria for use of State gas tax
  funds beyond roadways and bridges to other
  projects such as transit
• Strengthen the COA implementation process
• Better leverage local funds to obtain federal
  funds
• Better align funding sources with projects
• Streamline implementation process

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• Thank You