Posted on: Dec 18, 2017
By John Orr, ARC Transportation Access Manager
Expanded transit service. Improved roads and intersections. Miles of new multi-use trails.
These are among the highlights of the latest update to the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Transportation Improvement Program, or TIP.
The TIP update includes 92 projects that address key transportation needs, promising to improve mobility and quality of life while offering residents more options for getting around metro Atlanta.
In all, ARC is allocating $293 million in new federal transportation dollars through 2023 for projects across the region. With local matches of at least 20 percent, the total amount of new funding allocated in the TIP exceeds $400 million.
There’s no single solution to metro Atlanta’s traffic issues. That’s why the TIP includes a range of projects and service enhancements – expanded transit service, increased capacity on key thoroughfares, and improved bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
ARC made sure that the projects funded in this TIP update reflect the top priorities of local governments and the region’s transportation agencies, which submitted applications for funding last May. ARC evaluated projects based on a combination of performance and cost-effectiveness measures. The plan was developed in collaboration with ARC’s regional partners, including the Georgia Department of Transportation, the State Road and Tollway Authority, MARTA, and local governments.
Dozens of high-priority local projects are funded, including:
Sign up to receive our newsletter, surveys and important updates.
Sign up to receive our newsletter, surveys and important updates.
Subscribe
A key way to improve mobility in the region is to provide more options for people to get around without driving their cars. The TIP addresses this in part by providing funds to expand transit service throughout the metro area:
Additional transit projects, including heavy rail and streetcar, are included in the region’s long-term transportation plan and will be incorporated into future TIP updates as funding becomes available. MARTA, for example, is in the process of determining how it will spend an additional half-cent sales tax approved by voters in the city of Atlanta.
The TIP provides significant support for the Georgia Department of Transportation’s MMIP, which includes managed lanes and improved interchanges on area highways. Using federal transportation dollars for these projects helps accelerate the construction timeframe and frees up state funds to be used elsewhere.
TIP projects include preliminary engineering work for:
The TIP includes a major expansion of the region’s multi-use trails used by bicyclists and pedestrians, offering important new mobility options. The projects are a major step toward the creation of a truly regional trail network that will make it easier for people to get where they need to go without driving.
Projects include:
ARC’s Strategic Partners are committed to fostering collaborative regional approaches that improve quality of life in metro Atlanta. Their support elevates ARC leadership programs, research and events throughout the year. Learn more.
