The Atlanta City Council approved legislation Tuesday, Sept. 3, to accept grant funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation up to $2.67 million to continue construction of the Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Innovation Corridor Project.
The project spans approximately 7.2 miles from Northside Drive to Fulton Industrial Boulevard and aims to make the Martin Luther King Jr. Drive corridor more pedestrian and bike friendly with improved access to the Atlanta Beltline and MARTA bus service.
Other items approved by the council include:
• A resolution authorizing the city of Atlanta, on behalf of the Task Force to Reimagine the Use of the Atlanta City Detention Center, to accept donations from individuals, entities, and organizations, of cash, goods, or services, in a total amount not to exceed $25,000 during Fiscal Year 2020.
• An ordinance authorizing an intergovernmental agreement with Invest Atlanta to continue the work of the Westside Blight Remediation Project in the English Avenue and Vine City neighborhoods. The legislation also authorizes the City’s chief financial officer to establish a trust fund account for the purpose of receiving funds from the Westside TAD to be used for blight remediation activities undertaken by the city within the boundaries of the Westside TAD.
• A resolution requesting that Atlanta Public Schools and any private or religious schools within the municipal limits of the city of Atlanta consider initiating with the Georgia Department of Transportation the process of establishing automated traffic enforcement safety devices in school zones within the Atlanta city limits. The legislation also requests that Atlanta Public Schools and the city of Atlanta initiate discussions related to the administration and enforcement of the automated traffic enforcement safety devices.
• A resolution to apply for and accept a grant from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund for the purpose of increasing financial literacy for residents by establishing a Financial Empowerment Center in an amount not to exceed $150,000 in year one and $100,000 in year two and authorizing the mayor, on behalf of the city of Atlanta, to enter into any required agreements to participate in and implement a grant program related to the project.
• Councilmembers Cleta Winslow and Amir Farokhi introduced similar pieces of legislation adding a total of $4,000 to the reward being offered to find the suspect from the Aug. 20 shooting at Atlanta University Center. The papers for Winslow’s donation of $3,000 and Farokhi’s donation of $1,000 will be heard before the Finance and Executive Committee, which will meet Sept. 11 at 1 p.m.
• Councilmember Antonio Brown introduced a resolution urging the Georgia General Assembly to enact legislation to support the legalization, decriminalization and regulation of cannabis and cannabis-related products. The legislation was referred to the Finance and Executive Committee.
