A group of volunteers is highlighting the City of Atlanta’s mismanaged infrastructure by covering public hazards with eye-catching art.
Fix-ATL is a grassroots effort to improve dangerous conditions like missing water meter covers, manhole covers, and other small utility openings on streets and sidewalks. By calling 311 to report issues, posting on social media, and installing artsy but temporary covers, Fix-ATL is “bringing attention to a systemic problem throughout the city, and ultimately converting art into civic engagement.”
Tactical urbanism – a low-cost intervention by residents to catalyze long-term change – has been recognized and endorsed by the City of Atlanta’s Department of Transportation. Fix-ATL has reported nearly 200 active hazards in the city.
The objective is to get the City to prioritize pedestrian infrastructure so that people can safely and more easily get to where they want to go, said Z, a volunteer who asked to remain anonymous.
“Reducing suffering is the North Star of Fix-ATL, and our chosen medium is public infrastructure,” Z said. “We think cities should be judged by how they treat their most vulnerable, and a lot of people are not able to adequately navigate our sidewalks to get to all the great places that exist in Atlanta.”
Of the 84 missing water meter covers reported to Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management (DWM), 60% have been replaced with cast iron covers in the wrong size. A cover that’s too large will be cracked by vehicle or pedestrian pressure, and a cover that’s too small will slip into the hole.
“Currently, I’m tracking five different sizes of cast iron lids, but they continually install one size across the board,” Z said. “Unfortunately, they are prioritizing ease of installation – either because it’s more convenient or because they just don’t have the inventory available or the data available to strategically allocate the right lids to the right slot.”
When asked how the department addresses the reported issues, DWM replied with a pre-written statement: “Damaged or missing covers can present a serious public safety risk; therefore, DWM treats these reports as a high priority. Once a report is received through ATL311, the Department dispatches crews to respond within 24 hours.”
Some interactions between Fix-ATL and DWM have played out on social media. Over at 205 Ponce de Leon Avenue in Midtown, where an electrical box was missing a cover, Fix-ATL and ATL311, the city’s customer service line, argued publicly about who is responsible for the repairs: a private contractor, the DWM, or another department.
Frustrated, Fix-ATL responded: “You’re saying a hole with electrical conduit coming out of it, next to a traffic light pole is a watershed ticket? There is no water management involved with this utility box. Please direct to the correct department. This is how tickets get closed out and issues persist.”
“If it isn’t a City-owned box, the inspector will identify who is responsible and attempt to contact them directly to report the hazard. While it may seem unconventional, submitting this as a water meter lid case is the fastest, most effective way to get a City official on-site to address the concern. I hope this helps,” ATL311 replied.
Made up of a handful of few volunteers and a growing list of artists, Fix-ATL aims to “get people thinking a little more about why the city has allowed this to exist for so long,” Z said.
DWM maintains that the installation of temporary or homemade covers on utility infrastructure could prevent accurate meter readings.
“While the actions may be well-intentioned, unauthorized modifications can create additional safety hazards, interfere with maintenance activities, and, in the case of water meters, violate City code by tampering with utility equipment,” DWM said in a statement.
Yet, Fix-ATL has no plan to slow down. Z said the group plans to tackle sidewalk hazards, water drainage, and bike lanes.
“We aren’t fixing anything. We are there to patch and bring attention to a systemic problem throughout the city, and ultimately convert art into civic engagement. That’s the main goal of Fix-ATL.”
