Press Release - We Can't Wait: Obama Administration Announces Atlanta Regional Multimodal Passenger Terminal Project to Be Expedited

WASHINGTON – Today, as part of his We Can't Wait initiative, President Obama announced that the Atlanta Regional Multimodal Passenger Terminal project will be expedited as a nationally and regionally significant infrastructure project, shaving up to a year off the review timeline for the project. The Atlanta Regional Multimodal Passenger Terminal Project joins the Port of Savannah as the second project in Georgia to be expedited as a part of this initiative.

As part of a Presidential Executive Order issued in March of this year, the Office of Management and Budget is charged with overseeing a government-wide effort to make the permitting and review process for infrastructure projects more efficient and effective, saving time while driving better outcomes for local communities. Additional expedited infrastructure projects will be announced in the coming weeks.

"This critical project will give residents of Atlanta the transportation options they want and need," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Centralizing transportation choices will relieve congestion and create economic opportunities and growth for both workers and businesses throughout the Atlanta area."

Atlanta Regional Multimodal Passenger Terminal Project
Coordinating Agency: Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration
Target date for completing Federal permit and review decisions: January 2014

The Atlanta Regional Multimodal Passenger Terminal Project is a part of a larger economic redevelopment plan for downtown Atlanta, and will also serve as a one of the catalysts for commercial and residential development on 120 acres of underutilized land in the area. The new terminal will create a centralized transit hub to link currently disconnected transportation networks in downtown Atlanta, including high-speed rail, commuter rail, streetcar, Greyhound, MARTA, pedestrians, cyclists and more. The project is funded in part by the Federal Transit Administration and Georgia Department of Transportation's Public-Private Partnership program. The Federal environmental team for the project, led by FTA and including the Environmental Protection Agency and the General Services Administration, has proactively been working with GDOT and other partners to minimize environmental and archeological impacts through proper project siting and design. These efforts are expected to reduce the amount of time required for reviews by a year or more.