The idea to expand MARTA farther outside Atlanta is floating around, even though it’s not happening right now.

Voters in the City of Atlanta approved two sales taxes on Tuesday: one for MARTA expansion inside the city, and another for transportation-related infrastructure, like roads and sidewalks.

Outside the city, Fulton County voters approved a sales tax to fund road and bridge work in the county, but transit expansion was not on the ballot.

Fulton County Chairman John Eaves said that’s coming next.

“We’re poised to take the baton of what the city has done,” he said. “I think the appetite for rail expansion to the outer extremities of Fulton County is very high, and it’s just a matter of getting the political leadership aligned, in terms of what MARTA expansion looks like, whether it’s heavy rail or light rail or a combination of the two.”

He said there is potential to extend MARTA in Fulton County both north and west.

“I think we have the beginnings of a true regional transit system that’s in the making right now,” he said.

Discussions about transit will begin between mayors in Fulton County and the county commission in December, and it could be on the ballot as soon as next year, Eaves said.

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