New ATLDOT Commissioner on top priorities and Moving Atlanta Forward infrastructure package

ATLDOT Commissioner Solomon Caviness discusses several topics, including his new role as Atlanta’s top transportation expert. (LaShawn Hudson/WABE)

Atlanta has a new top transportation expert.

Solomon Caviness was recently named the commissioner of Atlanta Department of Transportation.

On Tuesday’s edition of “Closer Look,” Caviness said that Downtown Atlanta was not built on a grid system and is dealing with massive growth, with about a million of people coming in and out of the city daily — and somehow commuters are figuring out ways to navigate it.

“There are parts of the U.S., they said populations will be moving South and West that are all grappling with these same issues,” explained Caviness, who recently relocated back to Atlanta from the New Jersey area.

Caviness says it will take the will of the community and vision and leadership from city leaders to transform Atlanta’s transit and mobility infrastructure.

During the conversation, Caviness also talked about how his team is working with local partners to address transit needs. He also gave an update about the progress of the long-awaited resurfacing project of DeKalb Avenue, and shared how the city plans to use voter-approved infrastructure funding.

“We are re-thinking how we deliver our projects to include safety and equity in those programs,” said Caviness.