Transit summit of atlanta's northern suburbs seen as 'breakthrough moment' - saportareport

By Maria Saporta Forty years ago, voters in Cobb, Gwinnett and Clayton counties said “no” to MARTA — and that led to the rail transit system being built in only two counties — Fulton and

DeKalb. Fast forward to 2011. On Wednesday morning, leaders in Cobb, Gwinnett and Fulton held a summit to encourage the development of a regional transit system — especially in the north

metro area. The Metro Atlanta Northern Crescent Transit Summit is the outgrowth of a growing partnership between the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce, the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and

the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce as well as government leaders in those jurisdictions. “This is about jobs, jobs, jobs,” said Brandon Beach, president of the North Fulton Chamber who also

serves on the board of the Georgia Department of Transportation. “It’s time for us to have transit in the suburbs. It’s not just inside the loop anymore. We can not just have a two-county

transit system.” Leaders in Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett then unveiled part of their transit vision — which they are calling the “W.” A transit line would run along the Northwest corridor from

the Kennesaw area down to the Arts Center MARTA station. Another leg would go along the I-285 corridor. A third leg would extend the existing MARTA rail line up the 400 corridor. And the

fourth leg would extend rail transit up the northeast corridor into Gwinnett County. The “W” would be developed in phases, but it would be part of an overall regional vision for transit —

serving areas that have become much more urban in the four decades when the chose not to be part of the MARTA system. Now voters will have a second chance. In 2012, they will have an

opportunity to vote for a regional one penny transportation sales tax in the 10-county metro area. But the significance of these northern jurisdictions having a half-day summit on transit

was noted by several people in attendance. Tad Leithead, chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission, called the summit “unprecedented” and “ground-breaking.” Leithead noted that having

leaders in Cobb, North Fulton and Gwinnett “talking about transit wouldn’t have happened” until recently. In an interview, MARTA General Manager Beverly Scott couldn’t hide her excitement.

“This is a breakthrough moment,” Scott said. “It’s absolutely wonderful. We are seeing how we can connect the region. We are thinking outside our geographic boundaries.” Later, Scott

addressed the entire summit audience. “This is one of the most exciting meetings I’ve been to in the past three-and-a-half years,” Scott said, but added that it will be particularly import

to “get rid of the restriction of the MARTA Act.” She also referred to the fact that the bill as written will not allow any of the new revenues pay for MARTA’s operating costs — a

restriction that does not apply to any of the 119 transit agencies in the state. “We can’t have differential treatment on the biggest transit system in our region,” Scott said. “We’ve got to

get rid of the old stuff and move forward together.” Mike Bodker, mayor of Johns Creek in Fulton County, said the region needs to sell transit as improving the quality of life for everyone

— those who would ride transit and those who would want others to ride transit so there would be less traffic. Bodker also mentioned the potential economic development impact of having

transit. “We have to get real in our conversation with transit. For transit to be successful, you have to have land use policies to go with it.” Bodker said, adding that those land use

policies would have to permit greater density along transit corridors. Bodker also said that most of the mayors in Fulton and DeKalb counties are seeking assurances that the new tax revenue

would be fair to MARTA’s jurisdictions. Some mayors, who have been paying the MARTA tax, don’t feel they’re adequately served by the system. Then there are others who feel that MARTA is the

back-bone for the region’s transit services but that those living outside of Fulton and DeKalb aren’t paying their share. “We need regional transit,” Bodker said, who also added that “it

must be funded by every one who wants transit.” _RELATED POSTS_