Following complaints from business owners on Cascade Road of economic disruption caused by an ongoing road closure and construction, the Atlanta City Council has approved an ordinance directing Invest Atlanta to use funds remaining in the Atlanta Recovery Fund to support businesses along the corridor.
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During the Sept. 2 meeting, the council unanimously approved an ordinance redirecting funds initially allocated to support the small businesses impacted by the water main breaks in spring 2024. Last month, entrepreneurs on Cascade Road spoke to the council about the economic disruption caused to their businesses by the ongoing construction for the Cascade Road Complete Street project, urging the council to provide an updated timeline to the construction and provide financial support.
Following public comments made by owners of businesses like MoreLyfe Juice, J.R. Crickets, and Natalie Bianca, the Atlanta Department of Transportation implemented an around-the-clock construction schedule on Cascade Road, and the road reopened on Aug. 30. More pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements are also underway, according to ATLDOT.
The council also unanimously approved a resolution on Tuesday requesting MARTA to appear before the transportation committee to provide a comprehensive update on safety protocols and infrastructure accountability.
This resolution comes after an escalator malfunction at the Vine City MARTA station on July 15 following a Beyonce concert at Mercedes-Benz Stadium left at least 24 people injured. According to a state inspection, the escalator “oversped” before abruptly coming to a stop because of a “high volume of passengers.”
Read more at RoughDraftAtlanta.com.
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