Friday, May 10, 2002
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Friday, May 10, 2002 |
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Buses to roll in Coweta next year; still a possibility for Fayette By JOHN
THOMPSON
What happens when you hold a public open house and there's no public? Well, the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority pressed on with outlining its transportation plans for the region in Fayetteville Tuesday with no one in the audience. Earlier, three folks had dropped by to ask questions of the officials, but when it came time for the presentation, only the media was available. Despite the lack of attendance, GRTA's transportation initiatives for Fayette, South Fulton and Coweta offer interesting options for frustrated commuters. The first thing most residents will notice is the new express bus service, scheduled to debut in Coweta County next year, and possibly in South Fulton in 2006. The Coweta route starts on Ga. Highway 34 and travels to Interstate 85, where it drops passengers at Hartsfield international Airport. South Fulton's route will run up the South Fulton Parkway, and also drop residents at the airport. But officials have not given up on Fayette County. On their Regional Transit Action Plan maps, two bus routes are penciled in for Fayette County in 2006. The #445 would take residents from Peachtree City to the airport, via Ga. Highway 74 and Interstate 85, while #442 would transport residents from Fayetteville to the airport. Since funding has not been secured past 2005 for any of the bus routes, the Fayette routes still remain speculative, said GRTA's manager for external affairs, Rob Alexander. The express bus routes are part of the region's overall goal to provide more transportation alternatives for the region, said the Atlanta Regional Commission's Jane Hayes. "This will be the blueprint for all our transportation needs," she said. ARC officials are updating their own transportation studies to 2030, and are working closely with GRTA officials to break the logjam of Atlanta's traffic. By the end of this year, ARC will have updated its plan and have identified projects that will be funded. During the next 25 years, GRTA's leaders will be constantly monitoring traffic flow and exploring all options for future solutions. Some solutions, according to consultant John Morse, could be local bus services, new rail lines and extension of already operating services. The key, he added, is how the region grows, and the density of the various counties. One transit element that Fayette County could see this summer is regional van pool service. Alexander said the vans would be 15-seaters and transport residents to the airport. The vans could be operated by private companies and would provide an alternative to driving. Tuesday's open house was one of 15 the transportation agency is staging in the region. The next one for southside residents is May 20 from 6 p.m-8 p.m. at Newnan City hall.
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