Transcript Evaluation of Atlanta Region’s T

Transportation Funding
Matters
Kelly McCutchen
President—Georgia Public Policy Foundation
Baruch Feigenbaum
Assistant Director Transportation Policy—Reason Foundation
Senior Fellow-Georgia Public Policy Foundation
February 18, 2015
Presentation Summary
• Metro Atlanta Roadway Solutions
• Metro Atlanta Transit Solutions
• Georgia Transportation Solutions
• Funding/Financing
• Questions
Freeway Solutions
• General Purpose and Managed Lanes
• Freeway Bottleneck Removal
• e.g.) I-285/SR 400 interchange
• Modest Freeway Additions in metro area/capacity
increases outside Atlanta
• e.g.) Add GP lanes to I-75 in Henry County
• e.g.) Western freeway west of Atlanta
• Managed Lanes network
• e.g.) Add express toll lanes to I-285
Managed Lanes History
• Original Vision: 1,200 mile High Occupancy Vehicle
lane
• Problem with HOV Lanes is “Goldilocks Theory”
• Too Hot
• Too Cold
• Need for funding, poor performance of HOV lanes
led to Managed Lanes System Plan: FHWA, GDOT,
SRTA, GRTA, ARC, Chamber of Commerce
Arterial Network
• Atlanta has one of the worst arterial network of any
major metro area in the country
• Over the past 40 years, most of the money spent on
new/improved roads has been spent on freeway network
• Arterials are vital; they provide redundancy, travel
options
• Atlanta Arterial Plan two parts:
• 1) Regional Primary Arterials using grade separation and
ITS features
• 2) All Other Arterials
Transit
• Create a redundant transit network
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Lack of density largely rules out more rail lines
Existing MARTA Rail with additional stations
Add additional local bus routes, increase frequency
Xpress Bus
Add additional Xpress bus routes, increase frequency
Add 20 BRT routes
Create a Mobility Management Center to coordinate bus
service, vanpooling, carpooling and other transit activity
Outside Metro Atlanta
• Two goals:
• 1) Create a network of freeways
• Better mobility
• Allows vehicles traveling through Atlanta to bypass the
metro area
• 2) Improve local and state roads in each of Georgia’s
159 counties
• Metro Atlanta is tied to all of Georgia. This plan
needs to create a seamless network
GA: Highways/Roadways Total
Needs
• Total cost is about $1 billion per year over 30 years
• Includes significant toll revenues on freeways
• Uses innovative financing including P3s and PABs to
stretch resources further
• Devotes most of current revenue to maintenance
• Maximizes revenue by using tolling, public-private
partnerships
Georgia Transit Total Needs
• Increasing State Budget Importance of Transit
• House in Department of Community Affairs
• State provides $120M per year, $70 million for metro Atlanta,
$50 million for other areas of state
• General fund/cigarettes
• In addition to federal spending, local spending
• e.g.: MARTA
• Requires a 50% local match, local governments match with
their own money
Total Statewide New Funds
Project Category
Public Sector
Funding
Private Sector
Funding
Total Plan Costs
General Purpose
Freeway Additions
MA--$3.1 billion
State--$13.5 billion
N/A
$13.5 billion
Managed Lanes
MA--$10.0 billion
$6.7 billion
$16.7 billion
Primary Arterials
MA--$2.3 billion
N/A
$2.3 billion
Managed Arterials
MA--$0.1 billion
$0.1 billion
$0.3 billion
Other Road Projects MA--$2.6 billion
State --$5.0 billion
N/A
$7.3 billion
ITS
MA--$.81 billion
State--$1 billion
N/A
$ 1 billion
Local Bus Match
MA--$1 billion
State-$2.5 billion
Contracting
Opportunities
$2.5 billion
BRT/Exp. Match
MA-$1 billion
Contract Oppor.
$1 billion
Mobility Center
MA-$0.1 billion
N/A
$0.1 billion
Total
MA--$22 billion
State--$36 billion
$6.8 billion
$44.7 billion