quality of life bond program

"Improving Our Quality of Life for Today and Tomorrow"

The Quality of Life Bond Program was approved by the voters of Atlanta in order to provide for community improvements throughout the City including sidewalks , plazas & greenspace , streets, bridges, & viaducts , and traffic control devices .

Program Overview

General Obligation Bonds(GOs) are direct general obligations secured by the full faith, credit and taxing powers of the City. GOs are used to raise funds for the City’s capital improvements that benefit the entire community, i.e. road repairs. These improvements typically do not produce revenues. Principal and Interest are payable from an ad valorem tax levied on all taxable property within the City.

The City is authorized to issue up to $8 million in General Obligation Bonds each fiscal year . A City ordinance must be passed to issue G.O. Bonds. The City is required to have a referendum passed by the citizens, if the City wishes to issue GO bonds greater then 8 million. In 2000, a referendum was passed by Atlanta's voting citizens, which authorize us to issue 150 million Quality of Life Bonds.

With increasing urbanization of the areas in and around the City, there is a pressing need to develop and preserve areas and transportation ways that encourage neighborhood livability, pedestrian mobility and a general improvement of the quality of life in our urban setting. This bond issue embraces all of these ideals and objectives and allows the City to utilize this base of funds to leverage against Department of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and private funding to provide many improvements to the City's greenspace and alternative transportation systems. The following projects have been planned and are underway!

Sidewalks (Sidewalk Construction, Intersection Improvements, Streetscape Improvements)

The sidewalks portion of the program includes intersection, sidewalk, and streetscape improvements.

Public Plazas and Greenspace (Greenspace Enhancements, Livable Community Centers)

The public plazas and greenspace portion of the program includes greenspace enhancements, and livable communities improvements.

Public Streets, Bridges, and Viaducts (Bicycle Signage & Markings, Bridge Improvements, Street Resurfacing, Unpaved Streets)

The public streets, bridges, and viaducts portion of the program includes bicycle routes, bridge improvements, corridors, street resurfacing and construction, and improved paving.

Public Traffic Control Devices (Crosswalks, Traffic Control Devices, Traffic Signals & Communictions)

The public traffic control devices portion of the program includes crosswalks, parking meters, school signs, speed humps, traffic signals, and communications.

Public Information

Do you have a question about the Quality of Life Bond Program? Valerie Bell-Smith, Public Relations Manager can be reached at 404.330.6739 and is your main contact for information about the capital improvement projects and the Quality of Life Bond Program.

Which Capital Improvement and/or Quality of Life Projects are currenlty planned or underway?

Peachtree Street Bridge Replacement

Peachtree Street Bridge Replacement at Five Points will be CLOSED to vehicle traffic on July 23, 2006 between Alabama Street and Marietta Street/Decatur Street and will remain closed throughout the duration of the project. These areas are expected to reopen late February, 2008. For more information on the Georgia DOT Peachtree Street Bridge Replacement Project, visit www.dot.state.ga.us/specialsubjects/roadconstruction/peachtreestbridge/index.shtml or www.dot.state.ga.us and search under “Road Construction Projects”.

For additional questions/concerns related to this project, please contact Mark McKinnon at (770) 986-1011 or mark.mckinnon@dot.state.ga.us.

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