Message from the Executive Director: Aligning Priorities

A regional contingency including Cumberland CID Executive Director Malaika Rivers met with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood in June.

Each year, the Cumberland CID Board of Directors and staff step back from day-to-day activities to conduct a strategic planning session. This spring we looked at the current federal, regional and county environments and discussed opportunities to advance our priorities over the years.

One of the CID’s major priorities is to connect to the regional mass transit system. To that end, the CID participated in an intimate group meeting with U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood along with Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff, to collaborate in a high-level discussion on regional priorities, funding sources, transit plans, and partnership opportunities. Board members from Georgia DOT, State Road and Tollway Authority, Atlanta Regional Commission, MARTA and other agencies were also in attendance and spoke to the region’s collaboration. The meeting came on the heels of Governor Deal and Mayor Reed’s meeting with Secretary LaHood and strengthened the message of state and regional coordination and cooperation.

Upon our return from Washington D.C., the CID participated in a regional forum to make the business case for an interconnected mass transportation system in northern metro Atlanta. Attended by business and government interests, the Metro Atlanta Northern Crescent Transit Summit highlighted the various transit segments currently being planned and coordinated on the north side, including routes in Cobb, North Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Click here to view a video about the proposed system and how it would impact your business.

We’ve had a busy spring and we’re looking forward to an equally busy and productive summer. Thank you for your continued support of the Cumberland community.

Best,

Malaika Rivers
Executive Director, Cumberland CID

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Project Update: Wayfinding Signage

We are pleased to announce that the installation of our new directional and wayfinding signs is underway. These signs are part of an extensive streetscape program and will direct residents, employees and visitors to places of interest within the Cumberland area. For instance, walkers and cyclists will be guided through nearly 11 miles of trails, an amenity especially unique for an area like Cumberland. This project will help continue to create a sense of place for Cumberland residents, visitors and employees.

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Atlanta Region Transportation Roundtable Seeks Community Input

The Executive Committee of the Atlanta Regional Transportation Roundtable, created by the Transportation Investment Act of 2010, is seeking public input to assist with the development of a list of transportation projects that would be funded by a one cent sales tax, voted on by residents in a July 31, 2012 referendum.

The goal of the Roundtable is to come together, gather input and create a transportation project list that will have a positive effect on families and businesses around the entire region. To provide input on potential transportation projects in your region, visit the Atlanta Regional Roundtable website to learn more about the referendum and its process; view upcoming Executive Committee and Roundtable county public meetings taking place in August and September; take an opinion survey; or review an interactive map of projects being evaluated. Adoption of the final project list will take place in October.

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Commuter Club’s ‘Walk Challenge’ A Huge Success

This was a record year for Commuter Club’s annual Track Your Trek Walk Challenge. Nearly 500 people in the Cumberland area stopped by one of the events to pick up a free pedometer. Throughout April, participants were asked to clip on their pedometer every day and track their steps. The person who walked the most steps throughout the month won a grand prize package that included an iPod shuffle and a gift card to Phidippides, a local store specializing in running apparel.

Tarryn Sampson of Phoenix Healthcare was our grand prize winner, walking almost 500,000 steps — equivalent to walking from Atlanta to Charlotte, North Carolina! As a group, the 2011 Walk Challenge participants logged approximately 15 million steps, surpassing last year’s record. Commuter Club would like to thank everyone who participated in this year’s challenge. Congratulations to all of our winners!

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Cumberland CID Welcomes Brantley Day as Director of Operations

The Cumberland CID would like to welcome Brantley Day, who joins the CID as the Director of Operations. Formerly the Community Development Director for the City of Holly Springs, Day has 10 years of experience in municipal planning and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. Day earned his undergraduate degree and a master’s in public administration from the University of Georgia.

As Director of Operations, Day will oversee the CID’s entire portfolio of projects to ensure the CID receives maximum value and continues to manage stakeholder investments wisely. Day will join the CID in mid-July.

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Cobb County Transit Bus Route Cuts Effective August 1

County commissioners recently voted to cut Cobb Community Transit bus routes 35, 65 and 70 and their associated paratransit lines that service the disabled community, effective August 1. Line 70 operates within the Cumberland CID’s boundaries from the Cumberland Boulevard Transfer Center to the Cobb County Health Center.

The service cuts are part of a 10 percent across-the-board budget reduction mandated by commissioners in April to fill a $27 million budget gap for 2011. The cost for the three regular and paratransit routes per year is $3.1 million.

The county will now offer the disabled rider service only within a three-quarter mile corridor of current CCT regular, fixed routes. Paratransit riders affected by the cuts can call (770) 528-1679 for alternative transportation information.

Read more in this recent article from the Marietta Daily Journal.

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