Voters head to polls March 17 to decide infrastructure bond

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

Atlanta voters will head to the polls on March 17 to vote on the city’s $250 million bond referendum. Although the city has a $900 million backlog of infrastructure needs, the bond funding would help build and repair bridges, roads, sidewalks, parks and facilities.

At press time, the list of projects had not been finalized, but city officials have indicated that there will be a list available before the vote is taken.

Currently, there are 229 projects listed on the city’s interactive website created for the bond referendum at infrastructuremap.org.

Those projects range from street resurfacing and bike lanes to new signals and city bridge repairs. A poll conducted last month by 20/20 Insight LLC showed voters were likely to vote in favor of the bond referendum, which is divided into two parts:

• $187,945,000 of the bonds will be roads, bridges, sidewalks, bridges, bike lanes, traffic lights, and other pedestrian and transitrelated projects.

• $64,055,000 of the bonds will be for construction, reconstruction, renovation, repair, improvement, critical maintenance and equipping of municipal facilities, including buildings, recreation centers and other facilities.

In January, the Atlanta City Council approved an ordinance that will also create a public infrastructure maintenance and improvement account for the purpose of appropriating 3.5 percent of the City of Atlanta General Fund Budget at the beginning of each fiscal year that will also help fund future infrastructure backlog issues.

Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 17. For information about your polling place and other details, visit atlantaga.gov.