Chances to weigh in on transportation projects in metro Atlanta

By Janel Davis

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Metro Atlanta residents can have their say on a draft list of projects to be funded by a proposed regional transportation tax during forums this month throughout the region.

The draft list of projects, totaling $6.14 billion, was compiled by a five-member executive roundtable of local elected officials last month, and must be finalized by a full 21-member roundtable of leaders from each county by Oct. 15.

Before making the final decisions, roundtable members are soliciting input from residents in the 10-county region who will head to the polls next year to vote on the 10-year penny sales tax. Officials said residents' feedback does make a difference.

The first of 12 public forums is scheduled for Wednesday at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville.

The sessions will include a video presentation providing an overview of the proposed tax and projects and process. The two roundtable members of each county will be in attendance to answer questions and hear comments. Mayor Kasim Reed represents Atlanta on the roundtable.

Residents' comments can “absolutely” influence the outcome of the final list, said roundtable Chairman and Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson. “We heard from the public through telephone town hall meetings before the draft list was compiled, and those comments were used to form that list, so we want to again hear from as many residents as possible.”

Prior to the meetings, residents are encouraged to visit the roundtable website and review the draft list and the process.

“It’s hard to grasp the regional scope of transportation planning because most people don’t see it regionally, but as how it affects them,” said Union City Mayor and roundtable member Ralph Moore. “It will be interesting to see if the public can connect the dots.”

With the draft project list, “I’m not sure the executive roundtable has connected the dots yet,” Moore said. “It will be interesting to see if the full roundtable can connect the dots.”

In addition to the Fulton County meetings in the north and south parts of the county, Moore plans to attend the meetings in DeKalb to hear from residents already paying a penny tax for MARTA rail service.

Decatur resident Paul Hays, who answered customer service calls and counted rail and bus riders for MARTA, was recently laid off from the transit agency. His hopes for the meetings are that roundtable members hear about the need for expanding MARTA or some type of transit lines into the suburbs of Cobb and Clayton counties and farther into DeKalb and Fulton counties.

“That kind of expansions is something I would support,” he said.

Upcoming meetings

• City of Atlanta

6-8 p.m. Sept. 15

Council chambers, 55 Trinity Ave., Atlanta

• Cherokee County

6-8 p.m. Sept. 19

Cherokee Hall, administration center, 1130 Bluffs Parkway, Canton

• Clayton County

6-8 p.m. Sept. 29

Board of Commissioners boardroom, Clayton County Administration, 112 Smith St., Jonesboro

• Cobb County

5-7 p.m. Sept. 20

Board of Commissioners meeting room, 100 Cherokee St., Marietta

• DeKalb County

6-8 p.m. Sept. 28

Manuel Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur

• Douglas County

5-7 p.m. Sept. 7

Citizens Hall, Douglas County Courthouse, 8700 Hospital Drive, Douglasville

• Fayette County

6-8 p.m. Sept. 20

Administration offices, 140 Stonewall Ave. W., Fayetteville

• Fulton County (North)

6-8 p.m. Sept. 21

North Fulton Service Center, 7741 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs

• Fulton County (South)

6-8 p.m. Sept. 28

South Fulton Service Center, 5600 Stonewall Tell Road, College Park

• Gwinnett County

5-7 p.m. Sept. 26

Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville

• Henry County

6-8 p.m. Sept. 13

Administration offices, 140 Henry Parkway, McDonough

• Rockdale County

6-8 p.m. Sept. 27

JP Carr Community Center, 981 Taylor St., Conyers

For more information about the regional transportation tax, regional roundtable and draft project list, visit www.atlantaregionalroundtable.com.