On Tuesday, Atlanta voters will decide whether to allow the city to make the most significant single investment in modern times through support for a $250 million infrastructure bond.

Currently, the city faces an infrastructure backlog of more than $900 million. If we do not take this on, it will grow to be $1.5 billion and then $2 billion, and soon, we will face a crisis we cannot solve. Over the next 30 years, studies show, U.S. metros will grow in population by 32 percent or nearly 84 million people. Atlanta’s population is projected to grow by 68 percent by 2042.

Increasingly, our success as a city depends largely on how we address our transportation and infrastructure needs. Without raising one penny in taxes, a “yes” vote will allow us to rebuild our roads and bridges, synchronize and modernize traffic lights to connect communities and manage traffic, improve our parks and recreation centers, and bring new businesses and jobs to Atlanta.

Over the last year, the city has held or participated in more than 100 public meetings to hear from and educate Atlantans on our infrastructure needs. Thousands of comments from across the city, combined with “Connect Atlanta,” our comprehensive transportation plan, has resulted in a list of priority projects that will improve the look, feel and experience of our city.

We will resurface Atlanta’s major roads and repair city streets with a Complete Streets approach that addresses curbs, sidewalks, bike lanes, crossing signals and ADA ramps — all to decrease congestion, improve mobility and provide transportation options.

We will design and repair our streets for all users, not just cars; synchronize thousands of traffic lights to address congestion bottlenecks and reduce traffic; replace and repair bridges to connect communities; upgrade fire stations, police stations and recreation centers, and replace thousands of street lights to make neighborhoods safer.

I do not come to the voters lightly on this issue. My administration has spent four years getting the city’s financial house in order.

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We closed a $48 million budget gap in the first year and now have more than $138 million in the bank — growing city reserves from just $7.4 million in the bank when I first came into office. We have passed five straight balanced budgets, proving we can do more with less. We are implementing recommendations from a blue-ribbon panel of business, city and labor leaders to reduce waste and improve efficiency in government to the tune of $15 million to $17 million in savings each year.

And most important, your property taxes have not been raised in five years. In fact, the FY 2015 city budget included a rollback in the property tax rate.

This important work has resulted in the city’s strongest credit rating in at least 12 years. We are in a position now to pay the total debt service — principle and interest — on these bonds without requiring one additional penny from taxpayers.

Since January 2010, my administration has worked tirelessly to restore your confidence in efficient government. From re-opening the city’s once-shuttered recreation centers to passing comprehensive pension reform, we have set Atlanta on a path to greater prosperity. Once approved, we will work to ensure that all infrastructure projects on the final list will be completed.

We could not be in a better position to take on this challenge. On March 17, a “yes” vote on Questions 1 and 2 will help us make Atlanta the most livable city in the United States.

Kasim Reed is mayor of Atlanta.

Accountability, binding project list needed

By William Perry