InTucker Magazine

From the Mayor – October 2019

As you look across the country, there are several cities that have a bad reputation when it comes to traffic. You hear about the freeway gridlock in Los Angeles. D.C.’s Capital Beltway is notorious for traffic jams. And yes, metro Atlanta consistently ranks at or near the top of just about any list for worst commute time in America. It’s something that many have just come to accept, yet that’s the last thing we can afford to do. Families factor in traffic when looking at where to relocate. Transit options are a major factor for companies like Amazon as they consider which cities to call home. Simply accepting bad traffic is not an option.

Last month, I was honored to be appointed by Governor Kemp to the board of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA). This body is charged with addressing “air quality and mobility in metro Atlanta…as well as serving as the Governor’s voice for strategic direction in transportation planning for Georgia’s most populous region.” We’re essentially going to be looking at best practices and innovations in the transportation realm and seeing which can best be implemented to ease the traffic burden around metro Atlanta.

I got some exposure to this topic last year when I accompanied a delegation of elected officials and business leaders from DeKalb County on a trip to Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. The Twin Cities have been on the cutting edge of effectively incorporating concepts like light rail and bus rapid transit and the impact it’s had on their traffic is impressive. I’ve also been engaged with a group of mayors and transportation officials on the I-285 Express Lane projects. I would need a lot more space than what I have here to get into the minutia, but rest assured that these projects being overseen by GDOT will have a huge impact on Tucker and surrounding areas for decades to come.

Seeking transportation solutions is a must for any city, especially in metro Atlanta. We cannot afford to accept the status quo. The long-term impacts on our residents, our businesses and the ability of people to come and enjoy all Tucker has to offer is too important.