Transit plan outlines microtransit zones, two mobility hubs and phased service options; public comment open through March 4

Victor Pope, director of transit planning, and Beth Hoffman of the transit planning team presented the draft 2025 evelopment Plan (TDP) at the February work session, saying the plan is a federally required, high-level guide for transit goals and service options for 2025 nd beyond.

"Please encourage your constituents to review the plan and comment," Pope said; the public comment period for the final draft was opened Feb. 4 and is scheduled to remain open through March 4.

Pope and Hoffman said the TDP reflects three years of analysis and engagement (public surveys, stakeholder meetings and commission input) and received more than 450 public comments. The plan's needs analysis combined a "transit propensity" measure (demographics associated with transit need) with population density and land-use trends; the consultants reported shifting concentrations of transit-propensity populations northward and toward the county border and emphasized that denser areas support higher-frequency fixed-route service while lower-density areas may be better served by on-demand microtransit.

Key recommendations in the draft plan include: a bus-network redesign to improve frequency and efficiency; a fare-policy review; coordination with the University of Georgia nd other providers to reduce overlap; a zero-emission vehicle fleet transition pathway; transit-oriented development planning; a first/last-mile study; and a multimodal corridor-protection study.

Capital strategies highlighted in the plan include two mobility hubs (one at Georgia Square Mall and one at Southeast Park), supportive sidewalk and ADA connections, and a new operations/maintenance/training facility. Pope said the transit department has secured property at Olympic Way for a future maintenance site but cautioned that construction cost estimates have risen: "construction cost have gone up considerably," he said, and staff cited a planning-range figure of roughly $45—0 million for a fully outfitted modern facility capable of supporting zero-emission technology.

The plan proposes phased operational scenarios. Hoffman explained the trade-offs modeled: a high-coverage fixed-route network extends routes to more geography with longer headways; a high-frequency approach shortens routes to sustain 30-minute headways more widely; and a hybrid model combines shorter fixed routes with microtransit zones that use smaller, on-demand vehicles to serve lower-density neighborhoods. The draft contains illustrative cost estimates for each approach (fixed-route investments in the mid-single-digit millions and phased microtransit costs added cumulatively across phases); the consultants recommended an approach between high-coverage and high-frequency to preserve coverage while improving reliability on core corridors.

Microtransit zones are described as smaller vehicles operating on an on-demand model with a mix of virtual and prioritized physical stops. Hoffman said the zones are illustrative and can be adjusted: "This is how we set it up here, but you could have, for example, prioritized stops within each" zone and the commission retains discretion over final boundaries and stop placement.

The plan also models targeted employment shuttles and regional connections. As examples presented in the meeting: an employment shuttle to Bogart (serving manufacturing employers) was estimated at about $75,000 annually for the shuttle service illustrated; a regional coach-style connection from a Georgia Square hub to the Doraville MARTA station was presented as an example at roughly $300,000 annually in operating cost for the service shown.

Pope and Hoffman emphasized that the TDP is guidance, not a binding implementation plan. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requires an unconstrained project list for planning purposes but does not bar communities from adjusting projects during implementation. Pope said federal formula (Section 5307) and discretionary grants (Section 5339), state funds such as the GDOT Transit Trust Fund, local sources including TSPLOST/general fund, and modest local revenues (advertising currently brings roughly $70—5,000 annually) are all part of the funding mix considered in the plan.

In Q&A commissioners pressed on operational details: transit staff reported the current fleet includes 32 heavy-duty buses, six paratransit/cutaway-type vans and about 11 support vehicles; staff said they have one full-time operator vacancy and are recruiting aggressively, and that hybrid buses purchased in 2018 are at midlife with some engine and battery maintenance issues prompting an upcoming engine-replacement item. Staff said the transition to full battery-electric buses depends on having a maintenance facility and charging infrastructure capable of supporting high-voltage DC charging.

Commissioners discussed regional coordination and intergovernmental agreements (IGAs). Staff encouraged the commission to direct them to pursue conversations with neighboring counties and regional partners if the commission wants to explore cross-jurisdictional service; staff noted the Northeast Georgia regional planning process informed the timing of the TDP and that any service crossing county lines would require an IGA.

Ending: The draft TDP now enters the public comment period through March 4; staff recommended the commission review the plan, consider priorities (coverage versus frequency, capital priorities such as the mobility hubs and maintenance facility), and decide whether to direct staff to begin follow-up work including more detailed planning, coordination with the University of Georgia and other providers, sidewalk/ADA gap remediation with Public Works, and outreach to neighboring jurisdictions about possible intergovernmental service arrangements.