plan to beautify the downtown connector (Atlanta: upkeep, cost of, safer)

[jsvh]

Looks like this is moving forward:

"The State Transportation Board voted Thursday to spend $1.7 million to help two Atlanta business groups spruce up two bridges over the Interstate 75/85 Connector."

"The price tag to refurbish all five bridges is $10 million. The DOT plans to provide about one-third of the funding – $3.5 million – with the rest to come through a small grant from the State Road and Tollway Authority and from private sources, including the two self-taxing organizations."

GDOT puts up $1.7M to refurbish two Connector bridges - Atlanta Business Chronicle

[BobKovacs]

Hmmm....for some reason, I think there might be better ways to spend $10 million to improve Atlanta's image, other than by creating "eye-catching bridges".........

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Hmmm....for some reason, I think there might be better ways to spend $10 million to improve Atlanta's image, other than by creating "eye-catching bridges".........

What did you have in mind? Curb appeal is one of the best bang-for-your-buck returns.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Hmmm....for some reason, I think there might be better ways to spend $10 million to improve Atlanta's image, other than by creating "eye-catching bridges".........

Hundreds of thousands of people travel through Atlanta and this is all they ever see of the city. Its about time GDOT spent some money in the City of Atlanta.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by jsvh

What did you have in mind? Curb appeal is one of the best bang-for-your-buck returns.

We're talking about a bridge- not a house that you're trying to sell. Regular upkeep, maintenance and painting is all a bridge needs- as long as it doesn't look like it's falling down, it's fine. No one is going to move a business to, or have a convention in, Atlanta just because they went through on the connector and said "wow- they've got some pretty attractive bridges here".......

How about improving the streetscapes in downtown so the convention visitors have a better view and perception of the area? How about building a homeless shelter that might take some of the homeless off the streets so people don't see them while they're in town? How about hiring additional street cleaners, police and maintenance people to make the city safer and more inviting? How about some advertising campaigns, better signage, banners, or whatever to promote the city or make it easier to find your way?

Do you even know what $10 million looks like, and how much it can do if it's spent wisely?

We're getting a widened overpass in my town, and the City Council approved spending $255k two years ago to have the city's name cast into the side of the bridge, and to have ornamental railings and light poles put in instead of the GDOT standards. They said the bridge would serve as "a gateway to the city", as if it was going to lure people off the interstate to explore what we have to offer. The citizens blew a gasket, as those funds could have been used to improve roads, add sidewalks, or make other transportation improvements in town (they were transportation-only funds). Now that the bridge is nearing completion, we'll have to see what happens when all those folks get lured off the interstate, and can't walk around downtown because the money that would have gone toward sidewalks went toward a pretty bridge instead.

Now multiply that 40x to get to $10 million, and you'll see what I mean.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

We're talking about a bridge- not a house that you're trying to sell. Regular upkeep, maintenance and painting is all a bridge needs- as long as it doesn't look like it's falling down, it's fine. No one is going to move a business to, or have a convention in, Atlanta just because they went through on the connector and said "wow- they've got some pretty attractive bridges here".......

How about improving the streetscapes in downtown so the convention visitors have a better view and perception of the area? How about building a homeless shelter that might take some of the homeless off the streets so people don't see them while they're in town? How about hiring additional street cleaners, police and maintenance people to make the city safer and more inviting? How about some advertising campaigns, better signage, banners, or whatever to promote the city or make it easier to find your way?

Do you even know what $10 million looks like, and how much it can do if it's spent wisely?

We're getting a widened overpass in my town, and the City Council approved spending $255k two years ago to have the city's name cast into the side of the bridge, and to have ornamental railings and light poles put in instead of the GDOT standards. They said the bridge would serve as "a gateway to the city", as if it was going to lure people off the interstate to explore what we have to offer. The citizens blew a gasket, as those funds could have been used to improve roads, add sidewalks, or make other transportation improvements in town (they were transportation-only funds). Now that the bridge is nearing completion, we'll have to see what happens when all those folks get lured off the interstate, and can't walk around downtown because the money that would have gone toward sidewalks went toward a pretty bridge instead.

Now multiply that 40x to get to $10 million, and you'll see what I mean.

It is more than just bridges:
I-75/85 Connector Transformation

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by jsvh

It is more than just bridges:
I-75/85 Connector Transformation

No.....the pie-in-the-sky thing you just posted is "more than just bridges"- the $10 million you linked to today is just to "beautify" five bridges. The "Connector Transformation" would easily have a pricetag in the billions as laid out in that presentation.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by jsvh

It is more than just bridges:
I-75/85 Connector Transformation

Oh-la-la...

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

No.....the pie-in-the-sky thing you just posted is "more than just bridges"- the $10 million you linked to today is just to "beautify" five bridges. The "Connector Transformation" would easily have a pricetag in the billions as laid out in that presentation.

Billions?! Nope. $40-$50 Mil. The bridges are the most expensive part.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by jsvh

It is more than just bridges:
I-75/85 Connector Transformation

Thanks for posting this! I hadn't seen any updates in awhile.

I'll be sure to comment soon.

I see lots of promising things, a couple of concerns, and room for potential not being met