Media Advisory Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority to Host Official Signing of the I-285 Top End Express Lanes Transit Funding and Collaboration Memorandum of Understanding

Media Advisory

Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority to Host Official Signing of the I-285 Top End Express Lanes Transit Funding and Collaboration Memorandum of Understanding  

Officials from Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, the ATL, MARTA, ARC, and GDOT will sign the historic agreement

ATLANTA – The Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority (ATL) will host an open-to-the media  signing of the I-285 Top End Express Lanes Transit Funding and Collaboration Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), an effort the ATL has been leading with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett Counties to study and plan for the incorporation of transit service into GDOT’s planned Express Lanes. This agreement represents a historic collaboration of MARTA and non-MARTA counties along with key state and regional agencies to explore next-generation multi-jurisdictional regional transit service that will utilize and leverage the State’s planned expansion of express lanes on I-285.  Incorporation of “Express Lanes Transit” into GDOT’s Top End Express Lanes project has been championed by a coalition of cities and community improvement districts (CIDs) along the I-285 Top End corridor. The I-285 Top End Express Lanes project is expected to greatly reduce congestion in the region for motorists, while also increasing on-time transit performance and accessibility.

The I-285 Top End Transit Initiative is now in its third phase of study with a focus on station planning and coordination with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). Preliminary station design plans are expected to be completed later this year. This work conducted under this MOU will build upon the earlier studies conducted by the Top End Executives Committee – a coalition of key local stakeholders comprised of the Mayors from the Cities of Brookhaven, Chamblee, Doraville, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Smyrna, and Tucker, along with leaders from Perimeter CIDs, Cumberland CID, Tucker CID, Chamblee Doraville CID and DeKalb County – and formally incorporates leaders from Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett into the effort.  The results of the work will help set cost estimates and provide information to GDOT for use in its I-285 Top End Express Lanes P3 project discussions.

WHO:  The Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority (ATL) and regional transit partners

Signatories:

• Lisa Cupid, Chairwoman, Cobb County Board of Commissioners
• Michael Thurmond, CEO, DeKalb County
• Robb Pitts, Chairman, Fulton County Board of Commissioners
• Nicole Hendrickson, Chairwoman, Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners
• Anna Roach, Executive Director, ARC
• Chris Tomlinson, Executive Director, ATL
• Russell McMurry, Commissioner, GDOT (unable to attend; represented by Kevin Abel, GDOT Board Member and Chair of GDOT’s P3 Committee)
• Collie Greenwood, Interim GM & CEO, MARTA

WHAT: The Signing of the I-285 Top End Express Lanes Transit Funding and Collaboration Memorandum of Understanding

WHEN: Wednesday, May 11, 2022, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

WHERE:   Atlanta Regional Commission, 229 Peachtree Street, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA, 30303 (17^th Floor, Emerson Bryan Conference Room)

RSVP: Please RSVP to Tiffany McCall at [email protected] by Friday, May 6, 2022, at 1:00 p.m.

About the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority

The ATL was created by the Georgia General Assembly during the 2018 legislative 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. Effective July 1, 2020, the ATL was legislatively authorized to oversee the state’s Xpress regional commuter transit system and the Atlanta region’s vanpool system. The population of metro Atlanta is growing rapidly and projected to add an additional 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 Xpress and the ATL, visit https://atltransit.wpengine.com/ and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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