Local communities will get $235 million in federal funding for a variety of road, trail and transit improvements, the Atlanta Regional Commission announced Thursday.
Construction of the Atlanta Beltline’s southside and northeast trails, upgrades to Mountain Industrial Boulevard in DeKalb County and bus service between McDonough and Stockbridge in Henry County are among the projects that will get funding. In all, the Atlanta Regional Commission approved funding for 35 road projects, 25 bicycle-pedestrian trails, eight transit projects and nine planning studies Thursday.
The projects include:
Roads and highways
• Reconfiguring an I-20 ramp at Chapel Hill Road in Douglas County to improve safety and reduce congestion.
• Upgrading Mountain Industrial Boulevard in DeKalb County to reconfigure left turn lanes, better accommodate freight truck traffic and add sidewalks.
• Implementing “road diets” that reduce lanes to improve safety and walkability on Chamblee-Tucker Road in Tucker and on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway in Atlanta.
Bike-Ped
• Construction of segments on the Atlanta Beltline’s southside and northeast trails.
• Improving Tara Boulevard in Clayton County to provide a continuous sidewalk, ramps for people with disabilities and street and pedestrian lighting for 11.5 miles between the Henry County line and Upper Riverdale Road.
• Extending the Rockdale River Trail in Rockdale County to connect to Johnson Park, provide access to nearby commercial areas and link with the Panola Mountain and Arabia Mountain trail systems.
• Expanding the PATH 400 trail along Ga. 400 north approximately 2.3 miles into Sandy Springs, connecting the Buckhead and Perimeter activity centers with the paved path.
Transit
• Piloting public bus service in Henry County between McDonough and Stockbridge.
• Replacing six CobbLinc diesel buses with cleaner-burning natural gas vehicles.
• Beginning environmental and design work on a potential bus rapid transit line along Satellite Boulevard in Gwinnett County.
The commission allocates federal funds for projects included in the region’s long-term transportation plan. It evaluated projects using a combination of performance and cost-effectiveness measures.
The full project list is available at www.atlantaregional.org/amendment.
