East Atlanta Village Transit Center Proposed

A new transit center in East Atlanta Village was included as part of a $3.26-billion list of transportation projects unanimously recommended by the Atlanta City Council on Wednesday.

The projects could be funded if metro Atlanta voters approve a one-percent sales tax referendum next year. Atlanta's overall list of projects include $920 million to repair roads, bridges and sidewalks in the city; $1 billion for light rail lines between the BeltLine corridor, downtown and midtown; and $1 billion for capital investments to bring MARTA into a state of good repair.

Projects proposed in and around the East Atlanta area include the East Atlanta Village transit center; bus and rapid transit roadway improvements on Moreland Avenue from the Inman Park/Reynoldstown MARTA station to I-285; a park and ride facility at I-285; pedestrian and bicycle improvements around the stations; roadway lane conversions between Glenwood Avenue and Confederate Avenue; and interchange modifications and improvements. The overall cost of these projects is estimated to be $30 million.

Elected officials in each of the state's 12 regions have been asked to develop a list of projects to be funded by a one-percent sales tax. Once all local governments’ lists are submitted, a roundtable group of 21 elected leaders from the 10-county metro area will choose what projects make the final list for voters. The Atlanta Regional Roundtable includes local city and county officials from Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties.

Should the tax pass in a region, all revenue collected there would stay in that region. Local governments would share 15 percent of the revenues to be spent on any projects they choose. The other 85 percent will be used to fund the list of projects created by each region's transportation roundtable.