On the evening of March 30th, the fate of Atlanta’s infrastructure was compromised. The I-85 bridge had just collapsed, and no one was certain what kind of impact this would have on our city. We were given estimates of months until the bridge repairs would be complete, and we were to be faced with gridlock in all directions on our commute to work. But by May 13th, the bridge repairs were complete, and just like that — traffic was open in all directions. Remarkably, GDOT and its many partners proved those initial estimates wrong by finishing the project in just 43 days.
A question I have been asked repeatedly is, “Is this new bridge safe?” Unquestionably, the safety of the bridge has been proven by numerous safety inspections, but this question brings up an interesting point. How could this bridge possibly have been built up from scratch in six weeks and still maintain the Georgia Department of Transportation’s high standards for road safety? The answer is that the only thing really standing between a large construction project and its completion are unnecessary and burdensome bureaucratic processes and red-tape.
While our city’s infrastructure remained crippled, Georgia and its federal partners put together a strategy to ensure a quick, efficient and (most importantly) safe process to get the bridge back up and running. With federal assistance, we could bypass the many unnecessary permits and studies that often bog down and prolong these vital projects. Without the time-consuming paper shuffling, our workers could get on with the task at hand and bring it to a speedy conclusion.
While the bridge was out, we witnessed unprecedented cooperation between MARTA, GRTA and other transit agencies that worked tirelessly to ensure the steady flow of people from their homes to work and back again. Not only does this unified spirit symbolize our solidarity in difficult times, but it also speaks volumes for our citizens who are desperate for alternative transit solutions when this sort of debacle occurs.
This project was such a success that President Trump and the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) intend to use the I-85 bridge success as a model for the rest of the country as to what can be accomplished without the hindrance of government regulation and red tape. I cannot extend my gratitude enough to the President, the Governor, USDOT, GDOT and the many others who worked day and night to see this project through to completion.
Imagine the possibilities if we were to remove these kinds of costly regulations from every project our state undertakes. While I believe our state still has a way to go, I am confident the achievement of the I-85 bridge reconstruction will open some eyes as to the many possibilities awaiting us simply through streamlining the process and removing redundant paperwork.
to your business!