Georgia’s Democratic Congressional Delegation recently sent a letter to Emily Dunn, Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) chairwoman, urging the agency to expand public transit statewide.
The delegation urged GDOT to use funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which created flexibility in existing funding programs for states to invest in public transit.
Expanding public transit, the delegation said, would improve quality of life and increase mobility. It would make it easier for people to get to the grocery store, work, school, and the doctor’s office.
“The [bipartisan infrastructure bill] is already delivering much-needed funds to our state,” the letter said. “As a result of this flexibility and increased funding, GDOT potentially has hundreds of millions of dollars available annually for public transit … We strongly urge GDOT to invest these funds in public transit, which has the dual benefit of reducing emissions from transportation while also improving overall mobility.”
In addition, the delegation urged GDOT to use its authority to use funding from the state’s gas tax to expand public transit.
U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) recently introduced the Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would provide transit systems $20 billion annually for four years for their operating budgets.