Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 7

82 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 a pedestrian walkway between our neighbors in North Augusta, South Carolina and a vital gateway into the city. In addition, part of our SPLOST8 (Special Purpose Local Options Sales Tax) project includes amenities that create an opportunity to live, work, and play in that area. “That type of investment will serve as a destination for residents and people from all across the United States. These projects take time, and there are quite a few of them, but they are really key cogs in our future.” BVM: Can you share some highlights on what’s going on downtown? Donald: “I am beyond excited about the partnership we have between our business attraction and retention entities. The Augusta Economic Development Authority serves county- wide; the Downtown Development Authority, which focuses on ensuring we have a vibrant downtown, is an excellent partner; and we have their quality of life. “The new TIA brings $923 million in transportation infrastructure projects over a 10-year period. This is an extraordinary opportunity for Augusta. I’m really excited about the impact of the TIA projects that have already been completed. We have a $4 million, old Waynesboro Rd. bridge replacement that has been completed, four small bridges over the Augusta Canal, which serves as a centerpiece of our waterway. Improving those bridges and making these investments was vital to our infrastructure. “But we also have new encouraging transportation projects in the works. A $3 million replacement of the Broad St. bridge – the heartbeat of downtown – is going to be transformational. One of the most attractive and talked about projects is an $11 million restoration of our 5th St. bridge. This is vital because the bridge is being transformed into