Transportation continues to be a top regional issue. Too few lanes of roads, dysfunctional signal timing, minimal transit service, high numbers of pedestrian injuries, an incomplete bicycle system and too few employer programs to reduce driving alone vex the metropolitan area. Our traffic congestion is ranked 15th worst in the nation and less than half of the region’s businesses are accessible by transit.

Rising to our challenges, last year was a productive one for transportation. Clayton County, Gwinnett County and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority all launched new bus service. With ridership on these systems surpassing original estimates, the future of transit looks favorable. RBC cosponsored the region’s first conference on “bus rapid transit” or “road rail”. Road rail is an exciting new concept because it has the high service quality of traditional rail, but with greater flexibility and often at one-third the cost.

Governor Barnes announced the Governor’s Transportation Choices Initiative, a plan to spend nearly $10 billion statewide to accelerate investments in roads and transit. In the Atlanta region, the initiative includes the expansion of the high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane system, regional express bus service, light rail from Midtown to Town Center, commuter rail to Macon and Athens, the Northern Arc, and $350 in arterial road improvements.

Transportation is the public’s number one concern. The Regional Business Coalition and its member chambers of commerce recognize the need to reduce traffic congestion and expand transit options. RBC, as the business representative on GRTA’s regional transit planning council, sees the need to engage the business community to ensure smart and financially sound plans are crafted and implemented by our government agencies.

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