The greater Atlanta area could soon have an overarching regional organization to coordinate and fund expansion of public transportation in the 13-county metro.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, both the Senate and House overwhelmingly passed bills paving the way for local funding votes across the metro. The provisions would allow counties to hold referendums to impose sales tax to pay for transit projects.

Initial estimates indicate funds could quickly add up to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Beyond establishing mechanisms for funding, the bills would create a region-wide oversight board to coordinate transit projects between counties.

While counties would likely not be able to vote on transit funding until 2019, there is a provision to allow for a planned vote by Gwinnett County to move forward this year. Theoretically, the county could elect to join MARTA by the end of 2018.

A provision that would have allowed for the southern portion of Cobb County—an area where many support transit expansion—to self-tax without the rest of the county did not make it into the final bill.

Representatives from both parties underscored how important addressing transit as a region is. With the population in metro Atlanta expected to grow by 100,000 people every year, the region’s already overly trafficked roads need relief.

While both chambers passed legislation, it will be a busy month to reconcile the two bills before they can move toward becoming law.

For more specifics on each bill, check out the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.