Sometime Wednesday morning, the head of transportation planning in Georgia will receive a $1.1 billion wish list from Clayton County that calls for adding bridges and overpasses along its main artery, Tara Boulevard, adding local bus service throughout the county, adding commuter rail and widening scores of other county roads.
County commissioners approved the package of road and transit projects Monday night at a specially called meeting, racing to beat Thursday's filing deadline. Clayton's list will become part of a larger regional list of transportation-related projects being compiled for a 10-county referendum in 2012. The referendum would include a 1-cent sales tax to fund projects that make it to the regional list.
At the top of Clayton's wish list is busy Tara Boulevard, which would get bridges and overpasses to improve traffic flow. In addition to local bus service and commuter rail, Clayton is seeking to establish a regional mobility management center that is envisioned as a one-stop call center for senior citizens.
The transit list addresses county residents' desire for some form of public transit, Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell said. Clayton County has been without regular public transit since last March 31 when county leaders discontinued C-Tran bus service.
"The public said by a 70 percent vote [last fall] that they were willing to pay," Bell said, referring to a referendum on the issue last year. "It's high time for us to get in tune with the public."
Other road projects include widening Ga. 54 from McDonough Road in Fayette County to Tara Boulevard as well as a series of interchanges, connectors and other enhancements throughout the county. County officials attended the Atlanta Regional Round table executive committee meeting last Friday where round table executives recommended Clayton officials consider widening Battle Creek Road from Valley Hill Road to Southlake Parkway and widening Mount Zion Boulevard from Southlake Parkway to Somerton Drive.
"This [list] has something for everyone," Bell said. For example, he said Tara Boulevard will touch three counties and four cities. Similarly, any work on Ga. 54 helps Fayette County, Jonesboro, Morrow and Lake City.
"Our priority list is second to none," Bell said. "Every project has the highest possibility of addressing traffic patterns. As you can see, the list excites me to no end and it has transit as a top priority as well."
Just a week ago, Clayton County appeared behind schedule in compiling its list, becoming at one point a matter of contention among county commissioners. But that all seemed moot Monday. The special session wrapped up within minutes. Commissioners and other county officials singled out Clayton Transportation and Development Director Jeff Metarko for compiling the list quickly. Metarko spent the past month immersed in the project.
"You did a splendid job," Lake City Mayor Willie Oswalt said. "It was smooth and complete."
Commissioner Wole Ralph said he was glad to see the board work together and take a strong look at funding transportation options and alternatives.
"The only reason why this is possible is the regional nature of the funding," Ralph said, referring to HB 277 which has a regional transportation blueprint. "This will be an answer to C-Tran. But without regional planning and funding, it just doesn't make sense."
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