Proposal would rank 15 bridge replacements still waiting on construction funding

Atlanta councilmembers want a bridge-replacement priority list that reserves all 15 spots for projects without fully secured construction funding. Fully funded replacements would be listed separately—not allowed to crowd out unfunded needs.⁠[1]

Resolution 26-R-4343 is scheduled for the City Council’s Transportation Committee on Monday, Nov. 9, at 10 a.m. in City Hall’s Larry M. Dingle Committee Room. The council referred it to committee on Nov. 2; the packet records that referral, not adoption.⁠[1][2]

The proposal asks the mayor to direct the Atlanta Department of Transportation to engage an independent bridge engineering firm. Its review would cover bridges owned, maintained or otherwise under city jurisdiction, including crossings over waterways, railroads and roads. Bridges owned and maintained exclusively by state or federal agencies or other outside entities would be excluded.⁠[1]

The ranking would consider structural condition, roadway width, pedestrian safety and flooding vulnerability. Engineers would also weigh walking and biking accommodations, accessibility, and whether continued repairs make more financial sense than replacement.⁠[1]

There is an important guardrail: outdated dimensions alone would not establish an immediate need to replace a bridge. The resolution expressly tells engineers to distinguish failure to meet modern design standards from documented safety or operational deficiencies.⁠[1]

For each ranked bridge, the report would provide a recommended replacement scope, preliminary cost, possible funding sources and anticipated timeline. Already-funded projects would have their own accounting of costs, funding sources and schedules.⁠[1]

The requested assessment would go to the council through its Transportation Committee within 150 days of adoption—not 150 days from the scheduled committee meeting. The findings would guide future capital planning, budget deliberations and applications for state and federal bridge funding; the proposal is a request to establish priorities, not a completed replacement list.⁠[1]