ATLANTA — State Representative Keisha Waites (D-Atlanta) today announced the introduction of House Bill 306. This legislation would create the Piedmont Altamaha Rail Authority, and grant it the power needed to build, operate, and maintain a rail road system that would run between Bibb and Clayton counties.
“HB 306 will help solve transportation and employment issues,” said Rep. Waites. “This legislation is the first step in a project that could create short and long term jobs, develop an efficient way for Georgians to travel, and remove thousands of vehicles from the state’s busiest roadways.”
HB 306 would establish the Piedmont Altamaha Rail Authority, which will serve as the governing board for an inter-city and urban rail system. The authority would be led by seven board members, with the Mayor of Forest Park, the Mayor of Macon, and the county commission chairperson for Bibb, Butts, Clayton, Henry, and Monroe counties each appointing one board member to the authority. Members would serve for three to five years initially, and be eligible for reappointment at the end of their term.
The authority would be fully responsible for all aspects of owning, operating, and maintaining a rail system running between Bibb and Clayton counties. This includes giving and receiving grants or donations, entering into contracts, taking out loans, and hiring employees. The authority would have the ability to acquire land by purchase, lease, or gift. Additionally, the authority would have the power to use eminent domain to obtain land for the rail system.
For more information on HB 306, please click here.
Representative Keisha Waites represents the citizens of District 60, which includes portions of Clayton and Fulton counties. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2012, and currently serves on the Interstate Cooperation, Juvenile Justice, Public Safety and Homeland Security, Special Rules, and Transportation committees.
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