Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has appointed Josh Rowan to lead Atlanta’s newly formed Department of Transportation (ATLDOT). Rowan, who is currently general manager for the city’s Renew and TSPLOST infrastructure improvement programs, has been tasked with accelerating and diversifying road and transit projects at the new department.
“Creating this department gives Atlanta the transportation leadership it needs in our rapidly growing region,” Bottoms said during the announcement on Nov. 13. “Josh Rowan will lead this new agency as we work to improve mobility in every neighborhood. Historically, we have had three departments working in silos from their own plans. Today, we have one team and one plan focused on building streets that safely serve every Atlantan, no matter how they choose to get around.”
The new agency will manage a range of transportation improvements—from roadway repair and maintenance to sidewalk and bike lane construction to upgrading streetlights and traffic signals. ATLDOT’s mission is to make streets more accessible to people of every age, background, and ability.
Along with the appointment of Roawan, Bottoms also released Atlanta’s first ever strategic transportation plan calling for a Vision Zero policy to eliminate traffic deaths, expanding transit and creating more options for people to get around without a car—all while improving road repair and delivering city services more equitably.
The One Atlanta: Strategic Transportation Plan focuses on the first three years of the new with goals that include:
• Adopting a Vision Zero policy and designating strategies, policies and resources to deliver projects to eliminate traffic deaths;
• Making it easier to get around without a car by making it safer to ride a bike by tripling protected bike lanes and piloting new protections on the street;
• Making it easier to walk by increasing sidewalks and crossings citywide;
• Improving city roads by resurfacing 200 miles of roads annually and accelerating pothole repair efforts;
• Reducing the footprint of parking in Atlanta and implementing new parking strategies;
• Working with MARTA to increase bus service and connecting neighborhoods with transit stops and hubs, and establish a high-frequency bus network to increase the number of Atlantans who live and work within a 15-minute walk of frequent transit; and
• Implementing more reliable bus service with transit signal priority for buses and real-time bus arrival information and other enhancement at bus stops.
For more information about ATLDOT and to download the plan click here.
