[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6362859,"mediaKeyId","2167243-97e515e6671bbf29f858259f4ff7e403","parentId",2167243,"title","State proposes $60M for GTIB; board hears surge in local loan and grant requests","audioSeconds",240,"startMs",3720000,"endMs",3960000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2167243-97e515e6671bbf29f858259f4ff7e403&start=3720&end=3960","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2167243-97e515e6671bbf29f858259f4ff7e403/thumbnail_3720000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6362859/Georgia/State-proposes-60M-for-GTIB-board-hears-surge-in-local-loan-and-grant-requests","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362859-8c61b34a6ecfc3041151384217c3bf76/orig.mp4?Expires=1777448245&Signature=Bw3ds5u7XQ5NOu24A~12J~uc4myHhRi-FekwNG~fcDMg~qsG-Wg~MhLaV8Y9hXRJLwI1uho5~45qCpNRD6~Cww5VfzsCXnvjCx5AKsXCdHygsdKJzXNkbU113F6SKsfzSiivY~WhIZYbEW9BgM3HO8bZ9lpuXF9k2eQilg65EXpyMEywBQkKJECFH4PHpymU~eaIKZqvKuHmlkLk5gQRl8CMpflzv2v2dsyBhRMdscNd2TqlLO0tXindIK67cpxcg25W-bG7ihvlQF6LFKWRJjQPaCiEPtzVb68vQuavFEq9MPJ3kT04UKb0H9~H7AmnK~GZ1OnLB7ooFC3KC2t7Ng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Georgia State Legislature","date","2025-01-28T00:00:00Z","article","Director Janine Miller, who oversees the State Road and Tollway Authority and chairs the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank (GTIB) program, briefed the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee on GTIB activity and the governor’s recommended $60 million state general‑fund appropriation for FY25.

Miller said GTIB awards are competitive grants and low‑interest loans to local governments for projects that leverage state funds and local matching dollars; since 2010 GTIB has awarded $216,000,000 to 153 projects and that state funding has leveraged roughly $1.1 billion in total project value. “Since we kicked off the effort of issuing grants and loans in 2010, there have been $216,000,000 awarded to a 153 projects around the state,” Miller told the committee.

Miller said GTIB received strong demand in the FY25 application window: she reported about $62,600,000 in eligible project requests for FY25 with roughly $39,000,000 sought as loans. She said applications generally eclipse available funding and that local governments are seeking assistance to keep pace with rising construction costs.

On vetting, Miller said GTIB performs eligibility reviews and financial vetting in partnership with the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA). In response to committee questions she said GEFA performs the financial review and that the GTIB staff rely on that vetting rather than duplicating work. Miller also said the program has a strong repayment record: “I'm not aware of a default,” she said when asked about delinquencies, noting the agency works with local governments when schedules or costs change.

Miller described program design changes: local governments may use GTIB loans as a match for locally administered LMIG (Local Maintenance and Improvement Grants) awards, and GTIB reinvests repaid principal into new awards. She said the program’s recent awards included a significant Locust Grove connector project (an 80% award covering $4,000,000 of that project) and a paving loan/grant combination for a dirt road near the Peach County mega site to provide workforce access.

Why it matters: Miller said a $60 million state appropriation could leverage several times that amount in total project investment; in prior cycles she said state dollars generated a larger total project value through grants and loans.

Ending: The subcommittee did not vote on the GTIB appropriation at the hearing. Committee members asked for more detail about total FY25 requests versus eligible requests; Miller pledged to supply the full request totals and further breakdowns to the committee.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","01.28.25 Appropriations Transportation","oneSentenceSummary","Director Janine Miller, who oversees the State Road and Tollway Authority, told the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee the governor’s budget recommends $60 million in state general funds for the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank (GTIB).","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Georgia , Georgia","taxId",77688,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6362864,"GDOT says hurricanes Helene, Debbie cost about $200 million; 719 traffic signals damaged",1108,1270000,2378000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2167243-97e515e6671bbf29f858259f4ff7e403&start=1270&end=2378","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2167243-97e515e6671bbf29f858259f4ff7e403/thumbnail_1270000.jpg","/articles/6362864/Georgia/GDOT-says-hurricanes-Helene-Debbie-cost-about-200-million-719-traffic-signals-damaged","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362864-2f6ebdc9326cffa9cd7d565d785b142d/orig.mp4?Expires=1777448245&Signature=WuGwskMKE7XOlwk-JyW-wyASvpEhybJ7gVWlxSR3RyK8Sl8cUO6GlqdvUXZxhAkv1Ugv7yuS-CG0xYXzEtdz4PgnkEWawtBcikdeFu~lj75WWxPXFNybQrVU0E7kTXuLn8BTBBL2ltGGGejL3G9auuYoJrC8Q-YNgsTHh9kVtkVegyHXBGo3BvZ6Zw-hvZcbcLx8OG-738zx~NqGJxHp5Q0sBjUWJwrYmvWKb7HzAYP7xfCOgte2G8oOdy0BbipIoj4-p8aAEwTl1ht80Ht9K-lwrOpHpZWfrVOEZ8dDqVPe7dsJOeN7M63ArpFSEKkAr2xhP2YQXQerd7~KcFjj~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioner McMurray, Georgia Department of Transportation commissioner, told the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee that Hurricanes Helene and Debbie produced widespread damage that he estimates will cost about $200 million to address within GDOT’s routine maintenance budget.

The estimate matters because, McMurray said in his presentation, “that hurricane Helene number and, actually, hurricane Debbie combined was a little over $200,000,000,” money the agency says is needed to cover emergency repairs, debris removal and signal and sign replacement.

McMurray said GDOT has been working on multiple response fronts: debris removal, traffic-signal repairs, sign replacement and infrastructure/bridge inspections. He told the committee the agency had collected about 3,200,000 cubic yards of debris as of two days before the hearing and at the storm’s peak was operating 449 trucks hauling to 41 debris sites around the state.

On traffic signals, McMurray said “there were 719 signal traffic signals across the state that were damaged,” and that repairs were estimated to exceed $3 million; GDOT mobilized contractors and every available bucket truck across the state to help restore signals. On signs, he said GDOT has replaced more than 16,000 signs and performed maintenance on about 15,000 others.

McMurray described bridge-impact work: inspectors reviewed 275 bridges and 120 county bridges after Hurricane Debbie and highlighted a large box-culvert failure on State Route 169 in Tattnall County and a high-cost replacement on State Route 86 in Lawrence County that he said cost about $882,000 and was reopened to traffic about two months after work began.

The commissioner credited federal assistance and partnerships for limiting scope: “FEMA stepped in and allowed the core of engineers to work with cities or counties to contract for that,” he said, noting many counties are contracting for off-system road repairs and seeking FEMA reimbursement.

McMurray also summarized personnel and hours: “we had over over 1200 employees working, representing almost 56000 hours of work,” and later said the combined Helene/Debbie response totals more than 251,000 hours of GDOT employee work plus contractor labor.

Why it matters: McMurray told the subcommittee the $200 million add to routine maintenance in state general funds would make the maintenance program whole and prevent a pause in essential activities such as guardrail repair, sign replacement, pavement patching and mowing. Without the appropriation, he warned, routine maintenance work would have to be curtailed.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about how much of the emergency outlay had already been spent and how quickly state funds were needed to reimburse early response work; McMurray said “we're somewhere around a 130 to a $150,000,000 of outlay already,” and that the supplemental appropriation was intended to reimburse those expenditures and keep crews working.

The presentation moved from storm impacts into the wider GDOT budget—recapping last year’s one-time state general fund investments and new freight and local roads programs—so the committee could assess immediate repair needs in the context of capital and maintenance funding decisions.

Ending: McMurray and committee members emphasized quick deployment of funds and use of contractors to restore service. No formal vote or appropriation decision occurred at the hearing; the session consisted of presentations and committee questions.","At a Georgia House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, Georgia Department of Transportation officials outlined storm response from hurricanes Helene and Debbie, estimating roughly $200 million in routine-maintenance impacts, 3.2 million cubic yards of debris, hundreds of damaged traffic signals and extensive bridge and sign work.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6362854,"ATL to halve express commuter bus trips; agency plans fewer park‑and‑ride lots and higher seat utilization",220,4490000,4710000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2167243-97e515e6671bbf29f858259f4ff7e403&start=4490&end=4710","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2167243-97e515e6671bbf29f858259f4ff7e403/thumbnail_4490000.jpg","/articles/6362854/Georgia/ATL-to-halve-express-commuter-bus-trips-agency-plans-fewer-parkandride-lots-and-higher-seat-utilization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362854-5bee76a730cb07c876c20daaf441387c/orig.mp4?Expires=1777448245&Signature=CLdCZ4t34WKxfzroENx4ibzTLBFCkCs7MgavNvq~1Iu7HaVksmbiPm7nuWTEweAN-BNSI4egcPxJ8qv8CeIk79yME8pTt6hlmHObXpOjiwi8k7qn2TBtV3AjfLZXIsz3twyN97r7g7hubNwWmq38EhDvXMP9VfqlT0REQ-VsDWFyxSASciu-aE~Ffqhdd7QZi7CNQ0~T3CG~KerwcG3gGce7oTZU2YLd3u07YGgAip64uHsbNETI7m9hbrAUrmnm2kX88MrnH3QOK5Cv1YRSkAJPcyA3iwVoyznJcIHH6o9uzffV6PntPx8PGZfx8MtLKgyJ~8lkfVUVSCDcLU3wqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director Janine Miller told the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee that the Atlanta Region Transit Link Authority (ATL) plans to reduce express commuter bus service to align service with current travel demand and to produce greater seat utilization.

Miller said ATL currently operates 197 trips from 27 park-and-ride lots and 45 morning stops. She told the committee ATL plans to reduce the service to 98 trips, eliminate some leased park‑and‑ride lots and maintain at least one service option in every corridor; she said 12 of the retained trips will stop at MARTA stations. Miller described the change as a right‑sizing that will “maintain service in every corridor” while boosting utilization.

Miller summarized the projected operating effect: she said utilization on retained routes is expected to increase from about 10% of seats used today to about 56%, a projected relative increase in seat utilization that ATL presented to its board and stakeholders. The planned change, she said, follows language in last year’s appropriations act directing ATL to coordinate with local transit providers and streamline options for commuter bus service.

Miller said the reductions will come into effect in June and will be accompanied by public involvement steps and board review. She described a corridor-by-corridor plan showing which park‑and‑ride locations would be retained and which would be closed to reduce operating costs tied to leases and underutilized departures.

Why it matters: ATL operates regional commuter bus service supported in the state budget; changing weekday commuter services affects riders who rely on park‑and‑ride trips and shifts costs and coverage for agencies that coordinate regional transit.

Ending: The committee received ATL’s outline but did not take formal action; members signaled interest in ensuring preserved cross‑county connections and passenger access at remaining park‑and‑ride facilities.","Atlanta Region Transit Link Authority staff told the subcommittee that ATL will reduce express commuter bus service from 197 trips to 98, cut park-and-ride locations and focus remaining service on higher-utilization corridors beginning in June; the change reflects post‑COVID commute patterns and a directive in the appropriations act.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

State proposes $60M for GTIB; board hears surge in local loan and grant requests

GDOT says hurricanes Helene, Debbie cost about $200 million; 719 traffic signals damaged

ATL to halve express commuter bus trips; agency plans fewer park‑and‑ride lots and higher seat utilization