Mobility solutions take a hit in Cobb County

Cobb County transit currently is limited to Cobb Linc commuter buses.

As transit advocates brace for changes that might emerge from a new administration, an election result closer to home in Cobb County is likely to have a more immediate impact.

On Tuesday, residents in the congestion suburban county voted down a proposed one-penny sales tax designed to help people get around better and to improve the quality of life. The Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Tyler Wilkins reports:

The 30-year tax — rejected by 62% of voters — would have funded bus rapid transit, expansive rideshare service, bike and pedestrian infrastructure and more.

The levy was projected to bring in $11 billion, most of which would be directed toward new bus rapid-transit lines.

The program called for seven bus rapid transit (BRT) projects, which would have provided buses with dedicated lanes and other features to mimic the speed of rail. Another six routes would have operated in mixed traffic with prioritized signals and opportunities to pass other vehicles.

Despite the setback, some Cobb leaders aren’t throwing in the towel in their effort to solve county’s mobility problems and to handle its growth. From the Marietta Journal:

We recalibrate … meeting the citizens where they are, but also understanding where we should be as a county,” said Cobb [Commission] Chairwoman Lisa Cupid earlier in the evening, when initial results showed the tax faring poorly. “This is not an issue that dies today, irrespective of what happens, we continue to move Cobb forward. Cobb has always invested in transportation, we continue to invest in transit.”