SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — Millions of dollars to improve pedestrian safety in the City of South Fulton are on hold after the mayor said it ended up in the wrong location.
South Fulton started a fund in 2021 with money generated from school zone speed cameras for projects to improve pedestrian safety. At least, that's what leaders like Mayor khalid kamau thought.
“The money was supposed to be segregated into a restricted fund that carried over from year to year," kamau said. "That didn’t happen. It’s one of the many financial issues we have auditors looking into right now."
The mayor said the finance department never created the Pedestrian Safety Fund, and more than $3 million is sitting in the general fund. Now that the money is found, kamau is proposing an amendment to his original bill, and he's asking for a financial audit so something like this doesn't happen again.
“The money not going where it's not supposed to is very questionable. It makes me question the integrity of our leaders," resident Candice Tillman said.
The mayor said his bill would do three things to make it easier for residents to request and get speed bumps and crosswalks.
“Under our current ordinance, you can’t get a speed bump unless 85% of the drivers on a street are going 11 miles over the speed limit," kamau said.
This proposal would lower the requirement for a speed bump to 15% of drivers speeding on a street. The second change is residents would need to collect one petition calling for change instead of two.
The third part would narrow the focus on improving pedestrian safety.
“We are refocusing the Pedestrian Safety Fund solely on crosswalks, speed bumps, stop signs, and things that actually stop traffic and make it easier for pedestrians to actually cross," kamau said.
A new traffic calming report published this month shows in the past two years, only three-speed bumps have been installed citywide.
“I have had continuous near-miss fatalities by hitting the pedestrian because the citizens walk up and down the street, and they have on dark clothing and it's hard to see," Tillman said. "The lighting is also bad, and so speed bumps and definitely sidewalks are necessary.”
The city council will hear the mayor's bill at the November 14th meeting.