The city and county agreed earlier this year to split the costs of a transit feasibility study. Now the county is asking the Atlanta Regional Commission to administer the federal portion of the funds for the study because of federal reporting requirements for specialized staff, which the ARC has. The estimated cost of the study is about $120,000, with the city and county splitting the required 20 percent match of $30,000 and the rest coming from the Federal Transit Administration’s Urbanized Area Formula Program funds.
To be implemented, the project — a fixed route bus system, “or something different, we are allowed to deviate,” said County Administrative Services Director Jinna Garrison, needs a study first.
“I’m just studied out,” said County Commission Chairman Gwen Flowers-Taylor. “We’re always studying something.”
The study would look at the city, primarily, as well as Sun City, the hospital and the industrial park.
“It will look at what is needed and what we can afford before it is implemented,” Garrison said.
County Commissioner Eddie Freeman said the matching funds for the study could come from transportation funds from the 2008 SPLOST.
The commissioners also approved the first reading for a proposed change to county ordinances to clarify the no through trucks on Pine Hill Road, includes both north and south Pine Hill Road. As written the existing prohibition only states Pine Hill Road.
Freeman had received complaints about trucks using South Pine Hill Road to get from Georgia Highway 16 to Georgia Highway 362. The change becomes effective following the second reading scheduled for Aug, 20.
Ok we might think we need it but we certainly can't afford it. If in fact if their was a great "need" for it, wouldn't you think some private company would have started a bus or van route already? Since private industry hasn't seen a profit in it somehow we (the taxpayer) will be asked to fund a money losing project that will be a drain on our diminished tax structure. I think we are getting our wants confused with our needs. Can somebody please stop the insanity. We talk about federal funds like its coming from another country. That's our tax monies too.
Ms. Flowers-Taylor thank you for speaking up about us being studied out.