The Atlanta City Council approved Monday Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ efforts to establish the city’s first dedicated Department of Transportation that will help improve safety and accessibility under Atlanta’s growing population.
“Every aspect of our mass transit system must be improved in order for our city to meet the demands of our growing communities,” Bottoms said. “Improving mobility not only makes it easier to get around Atlanta—it helps level the playing field for all Atlantans to thrive and get ahead in a 21st-century economy. This newly created office provides a space for experts to convene and strategize how we can implement greater efficiency and support the transportation needs of residents.”
The new DOT will cover road construction and repair operations, as well as long-term planning — duties formerly held by the Department of Public Works and the Department of City Planning’s Office of Mobility, respectively. It will also incorporate the infrastructure investment program of the Renew Atlanta Bond. Roadway repair, sidewalk and bike lane construction, streetlights and traffic signals, road accessibility will also be within the DOT’s focus.
The new department is a prominent piece of Bottoms’ One Atlanta initiative. Its principal goals and accountability measures are still being developed, but so far, $750,000 have been allocated to do so.