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JULY 2019 • VOL. 10 — NO. 7
Dunwoody Reporter
DUNWOODY SALUTES AMERICA WITH ANNUAL FOURTH OF JULY PARADE See pull-out section pages 15-18
DeKalb transit master plan moves ahead, would need sales tax boost
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
PBS to air local singer’s documentary P5
COMMENTARY
BY DYANA BAGBY
GDOT chief: ‘Benefits of express lanes are proven’ P10
dyanabagby@reporternewspapers.net
Kevin Abel of Sandy Springs, a member of the State Transportation Board which oversees the Georgia Department of Transportation, however, took those officials to task and said he supports the toll lanes projects planned on I-285 and Ga. 400 because they promise to bring bus rapid transit to the area.
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners is expected next month to consider a countywide transit master plan designed to improve current rail and bus service and determine where to build new transit over the next 30 years. As part of that consideration, commissioners will also have to decide if they believe voters are motivated enough to vote for a sales tax increase to pay for the proposed improvements, which include light rail, bus rapid transit and arterial rapid transit in north and south DeKalb. DeKalb County, the Atlanta Regional Commission and MARTA worked with local municipalities and gathered public input over the past year on a proposed transit master plan with three broad goals: address the county’s mobility challenges, foster economic development and improve quality of life. Consultants with VHB recently toured DeKalb cities and in June made presentations on proposed and conceptual transit master plans to the Brookhaven and Dunwoody City Councils. Both presentations spotlighted two scenarios: a 1 cent sales tax increase that would raise $3.65 billion over 30 years and fund 16 projects, and a halfpenny increase that would raise $1.85 billion over 30 years and fund 15 projects. Increasing the sales tax requires a vote. DeKalb’s current sales tax is 8 percent. Going to a referendum is a major decision, Grady Smith, VHB project manager, told the Brookhaven council at its June 10 meeting. He said he is hearing DeKalb leadership is wanting more time to consider the proposals and is seeking input from the cit-
See DUNWOODY on page 31
See DEKALB on page 30
COMMENTARY
Honored Reporter winsas a newspaper of General 15 Georgia Excellence Press awards 2018
The proposed full-penny DeKalb County transit master plan scenario would include four light rapid transit routes; four bus rapid transit routes including along the top end of I-285; and eight arterial rapid transit routes. These expansions would cover 180 project miles.
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WORTH KNOWING
Piano-playing Rogers family is a YouTube hit P29 Check out our podcasts and Facebook Live Streams
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Local City Council members sign anti-toll lanes petition BY DYANA BAGBY AND EVELYN ANDREWS Elected officials in Dunwoody and Doraville are speaking out against the planned I-285 “top end” toll lanes and have signed a petition opposing the estimated $5 billion project expected to begin construction in 2023.
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