ATLANTA — The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) announced this week how $45 million in federal transportation money provided for by the infrastructure bill passed last year will be spent.
Projects that will receive funding include accessibility improvements in Cobb County and transit center upgrades in Clayton County.
The regional commission's executive director, Anna Roach, called it "just a small taste" of what metro Atlanta will see out of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Here's the breakdown:
- Clayton County: $11.9 million for upgrades to the county's main transit center in Jonesboro, including covered waiting areas and restrooms.
- Cobb County: $11.5 million for safety and accessibility upgrades to the CobbLinc bus/transit system, "prioritizing infrastructure like curb cuts and crosswalks."
- MARTA: $12.1 million for 22 new compressed natural gas buses.
- Region-wide: $11.9 million for a pilot program that will allow "local transit agencies to purchase electric buses and install EV charging stations."
ARC said the total costs of all these projects would be $58 million, with the $13 million difference including local matching funds.
"The project list was developed in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Transportation and local transportation agencies to include time-sensitive projects for which funding could be authorized by the end of the state fiscal year on June 30, 2022," a release said.
The commission also highlighted several Georgia Department of Transportation programs focused in metro Atlanta that will be receiving federal funds, as well.
Those include:
- Barrow and Henry counties: $640,000 for two future road projects, one in each county.
- Barrow, Dawson and Walton counties: Unspecified amount for bridge upgrades.
- Cobb and Douglas counties: Unspecified amount for truck-friendly lanes on State Road 6.
- South Fulton County: Unspecified amount for intersection improvements at State Road 92 and South Fulton Parkway.
“These projects will offer better transportation options across the Atlanta region and foster greater equality and sustainability,” Roach said in a statement.