MARTA Rail Expansion Could Stall In 2017
Plans to introduce legislation to expand MARTA’s existing rail network further have fizzled due to a lack of consensus among the county’s mayors, the Business Chronicle reports.
Courtesy of Atlanta Business Chronicle
After setting the stage for the largest expansion of MARTA rail in history last year, the General Assembly isn’t likely to build on that progress in 2017.
According to this week’s Atlanta Business Chronicle, plans to introduce legislation to expand MARTA’s existing rail network further, into areas of Fulton County outside Atlanta’s city limits, have fizzled due to a lack of consensus among the county’s mayors.
A bill calling for an expansion of MARTA rail in DeKalb County is before the Georgia House of Representatives, but it may be shoved aside by a broader proposal to increase county sales taxes to pay for road improvements and public safety.
Officials in Fulton and DeKalb as well as transit advocates have long complained that MARTA is the largest transit system in the country without dedicated state funding. But that could be about to change. The House passed a bill Feb. 16 to create a commission to explore forming a regional transit system for metro Atlanta, and the
Senate followed suit with similar legislation Feb. 22.
Dave Williams covers government for Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Top Stories
