When Atlanta city officials requested funding for a pedestrian bridge over Northside Drive more than a year ago, they insisted the project would cost no more than $12.8 million and that it had nothing to do with the Falcon’s new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

But at the council’s Transportation Committee meeting earlier this week, Katrina Taylor-Parks, deputy chief of staff to Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, requested that the committee approve an additional $12.3 million in funding quickly because of next year’s NFL Super Bowl, which will be played at Mercedes-Benz.

“It is time sensitive,” Taylor-Parks said at the committee meeting. “You know Atlanta is planning on hosting a huge event in early 2019, actually several.”

The committee agreed to send the request to the full City Council without recommendation.

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Gov. Brian Kemp, here speaking about Hurricane Helene relief bills in May 8, strategically vetoed a few bills in the final hours of Georgia's bill-signing period. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC