ATLANTA — Atlanta will get $30 million in federal money to upgrade bike lane and pedestrian path infrastructure along an artery that connects Downtown and several neighborhoods to the south.
The city has been awarded the grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All program. A description by the DOT described the project as one that will "transform Pryor Street and Central Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia to safe streets with protected bike and pedestrian facilities."
The two roads run through neighborhoods such as Mechanicsville, Pittsburgh and connect to the southside BeltLine in Peoplestown.
Councilman Jason Dozier, who introduced the resolution authorizing the city to apply for the grant in 2021, called it a "big deal" on Twitter.
"Proud to work alongside @ATLDOT and the administration to bring $30 MILLION in federal funding to our district and to communities like Mechanicsville so that two of Atlanta's most dangerous streets become safe for pedestrians and cyclists. #SafeStreetsForAll," Dozier wrote.
The U.S. DOT overview notes: "The project will implement Proven Safety Countermeasures such as rectangular rapid flashing beacons, pedestrian hybrid beacons, bicycle lanes, crosswalk lighting, roadway reconfiguration, medians, safe speed limits, edge lines, and enhanced delineation for horizontal curves at crash hot spots on the City’s high-injury network. There are currently no other built bicycle facilities that run north and south through downtown, so this project will be a major expansion of the current system and bike network. The addition of protected on-street bike facilities along with improved and connected pedestrian facilities will enhance safety and promote mode shift from single occupancy vehicles to more active transportation modes."