TSPLOST gets grilled by Atlanta transportation advocates

In the event you’re questioning Atlanta’s upcoming vote to lift a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} to construct bike lanes and repair sidewalks, the town’s transportation advocates would love a phrase.

Why it issues: Atlanta’s dealing with $3 billion of wanted infrastructure tasks over the subsequent 20 years, based on Metropolis Corridor.

• Infrastructure poll questions are typically widespread — a latest ballot commissioned by the marketing campaign advocating for the Transportation Particular Function Native Possibility Gross sales Tax (TSPLOST) says 66% of residents assist the measure — however the final spherical of funding disenchanted some residents.

Catch up fast: On Could 24, Atlanta voters will determine whether or not the town ought to increase $750 million to chip away at its backlog.

• $350 million of that money comes from a 4/10 of a penny gross sales tax that might apply to most purchases made inside the metropolis. The gross sales tax would fund “horizontal” tasks like bike paths, safer streets, and new bridges.
• $400 million in bonds would pay for the “vertical” program — hearth station renovations, rec middle upgrades, plus some street overhauls just like the second part of DeKalb Avenue.

What they’re saying: The final TSPLOST “over-promised and under-delivered, and in lots of instances didn’t ship,” says Reid Davis, a mobility advocate.

Carl Holt, one other transit supporter, says he needs to vote sure so Atlanta can put up matching money and compete for federal funding. First, he needs metropolis officers to hurry up the procurement course of and present they’ll handle this system.

Civil Bikes’ Nedra Deadwyler, who leads bicycling excursions of historic Atlanta to teach about metropolis points, questioned the equity of the tax and the dearth of metropolis plans to deal with fairness and inexpensive housing.

Sure, however: A brand new mayor and Atlanta Metropolis Council — six of whom are underneath the age of 40 — and the comparatively new division of transportation deserve an opportunity to show themselves, say Darin Givens and Lauren Welsh of Thread ATL.

• “I belief them about 80% to not screw up the spending for tasks,” Given says. “That is a excessive quantity for me.”

Rebecca Serna, the manager director of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, says the group is disenchanted by the dearth of progress on TSPLOST tasks however funding is required to construct safer streets.

• “It is very onerous to advocate for tasks that there is no such thing as a cash to construct. So I do not assume chopping off funding is the reply,” she says. “Holding elected and appointed officers accountable to construct what they mentioned they’d construct is the reply.”

The opposite aspect: The town rolled out a brand new web site right now to permit the general public to assessment venture lists. They’re going to maintain public conferences this month and in Could.

• As well as, a metropolis spokesperson says, the brand new DOT is a part of the town’s funding “in constructing its inner capabilities to plan, design and execute transportation tasks.”