The earth shifted Thursday for Georgia transportation.

At least that's the hope of advocates who have decried a leadership void as Atlanta suffered congestion, statewide transportation projects dried up and new funding proposals went nowhere.

Gov. Sonny Perdue stood before a bank of news cameras and a packed room to say the state should help fund operations of a commuter rail line to Griffin and Lovejoy and include it in a major new transportation plan.

Speaking on issues he presented to the Transportation Board Wednesday, he added specifics on how the state can pay for transportation improvements, including considering new taxes.

The ideas aren't new. Commuter rail, a comprehensive transportation plan and new funding have all been under way at the state Department of Transportation or the Legislature.

But the governor's face is on the issue now, and that changes a lot, said Sen. Doug Stoner (D-Smyrna), who chairs the Senate's subcommittee on mass transit and spent the last year trying to help pass a transportation funding bill that failed by three votes. In public, Perdue mostly sat on the sidelines on the issue, then came out against the measure.

Perdue is now in his sixth year in office. Asked Wednesday why it took him so long to put his weight behind transportation, he declined to answer. But Thursday, he listed some reasons why the time is right, including $4 gas and commuter buses bursting with new riders.

"I'm very pleased," Stoner said. He said earlier that the leadership void has deprived the issue of someone who can unify the multitude of legislators and constituents behind policy.

"It's important to have the governor working with the Legislature to solve a problem," Stoner said. "You've got to have both if you want to get something done. That's true of any big issue."

Those who have fought for their issues — and pet projects — evinced a mixture of jubilation, regret, skepticism and hope.

Anticipating Thursday's press conference, commuter rail advocate Dana Lemon asked Perdue, "Can I dance?"

Rep. DuBose Porter (D-Dublin) groused that one of the proposals Perdue backed this week, to take a portion of the gas tax that goes to the general fund and put it into transportation, failed in the Legislature last year after Porter and his Democrats introduced it.

On the other hand, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce president Sam Williams said, "[Perdue] took responsibility for leading the solutions."

"I think he realizes the true economic threat to the state of Georgia and the crisis for Georgia families."