ATL Board of Directors Approves 2020 ATL Regional Transit Plan (ARTP) and Submits Annual Report and Audit

ATLANTA – At its December 3, 2020 meeting,the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority (ATL) Board of Directors adopted the 2020 ATL Regional Transit Plan(ARTP).The ARTP received unanimous approval. The ATL Board also presented its 2020 Annual Report and Audit.

“The adoption of the ARTP is another forward step for mobility in our region.  It reiterates transit’s role both as an essential service and an economic development driver,” said Charlie Sutlive, Board Chairman.

Originally presented in 2019, the ARTP synthesizes transit projects across the 13-county Atlanta region.  The projects seeking federal or state funding driven by regional focus or data driven analysis are prioritized.  The ARTP list is the primary source for transit projects to be considered by the ATL Board for inclusion in the federallyrequiredshort-range Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and long-range Regional Transportation Plan (RTP).  The ARTP contains a list of transit projects from which the ATL Board may select and recommend to the state for potential state bond funding.

Key highlights about the 2020 ARTP’s Project List are as follows:

• A total of 245 projects were submitted by localgovernments, transit operators, Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) and other project sponsors;
• Projects were submitted across all 10 ATL Districts, covering 13 metro Atlanta area counties;
• Project investment totaled approximately $29 billion (inclusive of capital, operations and maintenance) over a 20-year period; and
• If completed, submitted projects would yield a 5:1 return on investment equivalent to $142 billion.

“Data tells us that an additional 3 million metro Atlanta residents will live and work in the region by 2050, said Chris Tomlinson, Executive Director.  “As transit will play a critical role in how we support the region and State of Georgia’s economic growth targets, the ATRP provides a roadmap of strategic options that will help us meet our projected mobility goals.  The plan also holds us to solid stakeholder engagement efforts, thereby ensuring that we hear directly from the citizens we seek to serve.

In addition to the adoption of the ARTP, the Board Members were briefed on the ATL’s accomplishments over the last year, including data on how transit partners developed revised operational plans in response to COVID-19.

Annual Report and Audit Submitted to Legislators, Key Partners

As required by law, the ATL Board also forwarded the 2020 Annual Report and Audit (ARA) to the Georgia General Assembly’s House and Senate Transportation Committee members, county leadership and its transit partners.

The 2020 ARA covers transit planning, funding and operations from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020.   A PDF version of the ARTP and ARA are available at https://atltransit.wpengine.com.

The next meeting of the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority (ATL) Board of Directors is scheduled for February 7, 2021.

About the Xpress Transit System

The ATL was created by the Georgia General Assembly during the 2018 legislation session to provide coordinated transit planning and funding for the metro Atlanta region.  The ATL is responsible for developing the ATL Regional Transit Plan, as well as identifying and prioritizing the projects and initiatives required to develop region-wide transit.  The ATL is also charged with creating a unified regional transit system brand.  The population of metro Atlanta is growing rapidly and projected to add 2.5 million residents by 2040. The ATL is a critical step towards more efficient and effective transit and mobility in the region. For more information on the ATL, visit https://atltransit.wpengine.com/ and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.