Federal Government to Invest $110 Million in Innovative Plan to Interstate 85 Address Traffic Congestion

ATLANTA— Governor Sonny Perdue and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters announced today the federal government is investing $110 million to support an innovative plan to reduce traffic congestion on the Interstate 85 corridor in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties. The plan will allow more commuters to take advantage of I-85’s HOV lanes, and will allow for the establishment of new high-speed commuter bus service into downtown.

“Today’s announcement will bring new investment and new ideas into Georgia’s transportation strategy,” Governor Perdue said. “This demonstration project will give commuters options – more transit choices, more park and ride lots and the ability to choose a congestion free lane.”

The $110 million federal grant will be matched by $37 million in state and local funds.

“This ambitious plan will tame traffic, pump new money into the region’s transit services and redefine the way people use I-85,” said Secretary Peters. “The goal is simple, make commutes reliable, not ridiculous.”

   The project development and delivery will take two years. The first phase of the demonstration project will institute a network consisting of dynamically-priced high occupancy toll lanes on I-85, stretching from I-285 to Old Peachtree Road by January, 2011. The state will monitor the demonstration project for multiple success factors and report its performance through extensive outreach to the general public and lawmakers. Future phases of Atlanta’s congestion plan will include a 49-mile network of additional HOV-to-HOT lane conversions along I-85, I-75 and I-20. Similar HOT lane projects have been implemented in Minneapolis and Southern California, and these areas have already seen a reduction in the amount of congestion during peak travel times.

Also included in the grant is $30 million for transit service enhancement that will operate on the newly converted expressways. The funding will go towards the purchase of new buses and the construction and expansion of park-and-ride facilities.

Georgia is the most recent state to receive federal funding from the Department of Transportation for its efforts to establish a more permanent federal program focused on innovative solutions to improve mobility and fight increasing congestion in metropolitan areas. Details on Secretary Peters’ innovative Reform Proposal can be found at www.FightGridlockNow.gov .

“The money we are providing today will make commuting faster, transit better and small businesses more competitive,” said Secretary Peters. “Together, we’ll make traffic in Atlanta go with the wind.”

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