Some 1,400 metro Atlanta leaders turned out recently for the Atlanta Regional Commission’s annual State of the Region event. Besides highlighting some of the successes, the event also took some time to look at challenges, choosing the theme “Owning Our Future” to be deliberate about the choices facing the region over the next few years.
“To own our future, we must be decisive about our direction forward and make the investments that set us on the path to success,” said ARC Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Anna Roach. “To own our future, we must dream big, and imagine ‘what’s possible’ if we put our minds to it.”
Roach announced the Atlanta Regional Infrastructure Consortium, a group comprised of transportation planners, elected officials and other leaders from across the region to identify and coordinate grant applications through the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The Infrastructure Act was passed by Congress last year and offers funding in a variety of areas besides just transportation, such as water, energy and broadband internet service. Applicants that can demonstrate a level of coordination and regional buy-in are more likely to receive approval and federal funding through the Act. The Consortium is an effort to build another platform that can bridge city and county lines to develop plans that can be submitted as grant applications for the Act. Besides planners, there will also be staff on the Consortium who can provide technical and regional expertise to help hone applications.
“The Regional Infrastructure Consortium is carefully designed to help metro Atlanta increase the chances of securing the highly competitive federal infrastructure funding we need to transform our region and build a better future for all residents,” said Roach. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in our region. We must make the most of it.”
ARC Chief Operating Officer Mike Alexander noted how the grant application process has changed and so applicants must change with it. “We simply can’t do things the way we always have and expect different results when it comes to applying for federal infrastructure grants,” said Alexander. “The infrastructure consortium and caucus provide a strong foundation to improve our chance of success and help shape the region’s future.”
In addition to the announcement of the Consortium, ARC also presented four 2022 Regional Excellence Awards, which highlight projects or planning initiatives. Doraville, Stockbridge, Avondale Estates and MARTA were all honored with awards for work they have done over the last year.
To learn more about the winners and their individual projects, see here:
