Mayor Kasim Reed, the city of Atlanta’s 59^th mayor, was honored at the State Transportation Board monthly meeting with a resolution in recognition of his championing transportation for the city and surrounding communities during his two-term mayoral tenure.
 
“I am grateful and honored to receive this distinction from the State Transportation Board,” Reed said. “I’ve dreamed of being mayor of Atlanta since I was 13 years old, and it was always my goal as mayor to transform our transportation system. I appreciate the support and partnership of our partners at the state which made this possible.”
 
Board Member Stacey Key, who represents the Fifth Congressional District on the board, which includes Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties, presented the resolution.
 
“Mayor Reed is a friend of Georgia DOT,” she said. “The people of the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia have benefitted greatly – and I say greatly – from his leadership and advocacy on transportation-related issues.”
 
Among his numerous accomplishments, the resolution notes that Reed:

• Partnered with Georgia DOT to complete 37 projects totaling $89.3 million and to program an additional 22 projects totaling $193.3 million.

• Spearheaded referendums to improve the region’s transportation network including a half penny sales tax for MARTA and a special purpose local option sales tax to fund street projects, the Atlanta Bike Share Program, sidewalk improvements, traffic signal optimization and more.

• Sought and obtained federal funding for the Atlanta Streetcar project.

• Continued the development and expansion of the Atlanta BeltLine.

• During the rebuild of I-85, following the bridge collapse in March 2017, was instrumental in ensuring motorists got to work and school on time by encouraging the use of MARTA and issuing an executive order suspending non-emergency construction work in the corridor.

Reed thanked the Board for their acknowledgement of his efforts and called Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell McMurry “one of the finest people I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with in public service.”
 
“You have made this day very special for me. I am deeply grateful to all of you for the service you provide and for the opportunity you have given me."