Transportation Planning

ARC collaborates with local governments and transportation agencies to develop the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), which prioritizes transportation investments in the 20-county Atlanta region through 2050 to improve mobility in the Atlanta region. As the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization, ARC is responsible for maintaining the MTP. As part of this work, ARC develops the regional bicycle-pedestrian plan, the freight mobility plan, and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which allocates federal funds for the highest-priority projects in the region.

Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)

The MTP is a long-range blueprint that details the investments that will be made through 2050 to ensure metro Atlanta’s future success and improve the region’s quality of life.

Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)

The TIP allocates federal funds for use in the construction of the highest-priority projects in the MTP. Projects included in the TIP must be fully funded.

Unified Growth Policy Map (UPWP)

The UPWP is developed annually with state and local governments and public transportation agencies to document the region’s transportation-related planning priorities.

Public Engagement Summary

This report summarizes all stakeholder and public outreach and comments throughout the development of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan approved in 2020.

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Report Cover Thumbnail - Volume 1, 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan for the Atlanta Metropolitan Transportation Planning Area — The MTP prioritizes federal transportation funding in the 20-county Atlanta region through 2050. The MTP must be updated at least every four years. The draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) document will be available for public comment starting on Oct. 27. This is the final opportunity for public input before adoption. The public can review the document and provide comments until Dec. 8.

ARC Updating Metropolitan Transportation Plan

ARC is currently conducting a major update of the Regional Transportation Plan, which allocates $168 billion in federal, state, and local funding through 2050 to improve the region’s transportation network. Plan highlights include:

Improving major thoroughfares and interchanges to improve mobility and safety
Expanding transit service to offer better connections to major job centers and services
Developing a regional bike-ped network
Building a network of Express lanes on area highways that offer more reliable trips
Encouraging the growth of alternative commute options

The plan is being developed at a time of significant change in the Atlanta region. Technology, such as electric vehicles, ‘connected’ corridors, and artificial intelligence, are changing the way we live and work, as are trends like remote working. Climate change requires a strategic response. And federal priorities are shifting to emphasize investments in EV infrastructure and climate resilience.

Featured Resources Related to Transportation Planning

Atlanta Regional Freight Mobility Plan

This plan serves as a guiding document to support the region’s freight movement strategies. The plan builds on previous planning efforts, evaluates recent changes, and identifies potential future freight needs. Learn more about the plan

Atlanta Regional Truck Parking Assessment Study

This study was conducted to identify the magnitude of existing and future truck parking needs and develop structured recommendations for implementation to mitigate the challenges. Learn more about the study

Walk, Bike, Thrive!

This plan establishes ambitious goals to help the Atlanta region become one of the most connected and safest regions in the U.S. for walking and bicycling. Learn more about the plan

Regional Safety Strategy

The RSS is a regional safety action plan to help ARC and its partners achieve safety goals and build a safe transportation system for all users in the Atlanta region. Learn more about the plan

Transportation Demand Management Plan

The Atlanta TDM Plan is a long-range plan that defines a strategic framework for developing and integrating TDM strategies into planning, project development, and systems operations investment decision-making. Learn more about the plan

Human Services Transportation Plan

This plan focuses on the transportation options available to often underserved populations in the Atlanta region. It’s designed to meet the needs of residents who don’t always have good access to decent, reliable transportation to jobs and medical services. Learn more about the plan

ATL Regional Transit Plan

The plan establishes a vision and set of goals to identify transit projects based on stakeholder input and technical analyses and to develop an implementation framework focusing limited resources on priority projects to meet current and future needs.

Transportation Improvement Program Evaluation Framework

This document provides an overview of ARC’s TIP development process, which incorporates rigorous data-driven decision-making into the planning process. Learn more about the framework