Roads Can't Keep Up With Atlanta's Revitalization

"Atlanta's road capacity isn't keeping up with the influx of people and the cars they love. After Atlanta emptied many of its residents into the suburbs in the 1970s and 1980s, an urban renaissance - or a horror of long commutes - is bringing them back."

"No one pretends the mid-20th-century roads can handle the demands of the 21st century. 'There is not enough money,' said City Council member Clair Muller."

The state agency charged with tying road improvements to large-scale development projects - the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority - can dictate that transportation infrastructure be built, but has little ability to effectively follow up that the work has actually been done.

"City officials say they're as financially strapped as the state, but they're starting to plan better." For the first time ever, the city of Atlanta will develop a comprehensive transportation plan.

Sadly, enhancement of transit capacity is rarely mentioned in any viable debate on how to improve mobility in the city of Atlanta. Most local leaders acknowledge that building new transit is nearly impossible given the recalcitrance of state officials to fund local transit, and the inability of regional counties to band together and self-tax for new rail or rapid bus lines. A bill to allow such regional alliances was quickly killed in Georgia's recently completed legislative session.