From this month’s Decatur Focus…
We are considering alternatives to the pedestrian and cycling detours in place because of the closing of E. Howard Avenue between Church Street and the former Dairy Queen. First, let’s put the rumors to rest about why the street was closed. The was done to provide a staging area for the Trinity Triangle development to limit the conflicts between construction activity and traffic on Trinity. When construction is finished, the street will be reopened.
We originally planned to run the construction fence along the edge of the PATH trail along this block of E. Howard in order to keep it open. However, that plan would have included a crosswalk right at the railroad tracks for pedestrians and bicyclists, creating a very unsafe situation. Cars traveling north across the tracks have a limited view of cyclists and pedestrians as they come over the crest of the railroad crossing. Because a portion of the sidewalk around the former Diary Queen is still intact, there is a possibility of moving the crossing slightly away from the tracks and reopening the PATH trail for a few more months.
However, with the construction of Phase V of the downtown streetscape improvements starting in early 2015 and the ongoing construction of the Trinity Triangle, this area will continue to be less safe for pedestrians and bicyclists and detours will still be needed to provide safer options. We are looking at creative solutions to address the problem by we are going to need your patience and flexibility for the next year or so as detours and crossing locations change.
Anyone want to offer any creative solutions? Here’s a map of the area if you need it!
We need a crosswalk with a signal on the east side of the intersection at Candler and College. Then people can ride down the PATH west toward Kimball house, cross College, cross Candler and then ride down the sidewalk in front of Agnes Scott either rejoining the PATH through the tunnel under the tracks or by crossing at McDonough.
THIS.
may I live to see the day.
Ride down the sidewalk – no, please.
Then widen the sidewalk and call it a bike path. Problem solved.
It’s such a simple and perfect idea that only a government could miss.
If they would just repave the horrible concrete trench patches on the south end of Church Street I would be fine with taking the existing detour. I swear all they did was dump the concrete out and spread it around a bit–no effort was made to make it smooth.
Church St will be repaved when the streetscape project on that portion is completed sometime in the spring. It was not paved after the stormwater project so new pavement would not be immediately taken up.
That particular intersection is very tricky for a cyclist, and I’ve ridden through it many times.
My citywide Six Flags inspired sky bucket ride idea doesn’t seem so outlandish now, does it? We would all be floating well above those dangerous cars and trains.
I’m in, Rival. But it reminds me more of the aerial ride across the Magic Kingdom than Six Flags. That was also the safest place in Disney to fire up a doobie. Do they still have that ride? It’s been a few (like 30) years.
As someone who drives by this intersection daily, I’m still confused as to why this particular public street needed to be closed for 18-24 months for “staging.” So far, the only things being staged are construction workers’ cars and a port-a-pot. Call me crazy, but wouldn’t this issue be mostly solved by re-opening the street and only allowing a closure when the construction company actually needed to stage items (and requiring that time be paid for, like any other private endeavor using public property)?
Just out of curiosity, does anyone here know if there is a fee for a developer to close a public road (and path) for such a length of time? What’s exactly is the approval process? Thx.
I have been commuting by bike for four years now and have to cross Trinity from PATH. The safest place to cross IMO is right at the tracks. You have to time the lights right but when you do all the cars are stopped. The other option was the crossing further down Trinity (which isn’t there anymore) where the cars are always moving and don’t observe the pedestrian right of way sign. So for me a crossing closer to the tracks makes more sense.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I think many cities are able to construct buildings without closing a street next to the construction, not to mention the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. I can imagine that it is more convenient for the construction company but you know what? This is closing off access to a public resource and that shouldn’t be done lightly.
I agree wholeheartedly with Jennifer Leavey’s post: “We need a crosswalk with a signal on the east side of the intersection at Candler and College…” Why isn’t this solution considered a great short-term fix? It seems like a great permanent solution as well, but can we get it at least as a temporary solution during the construction phase of this project? Just until we can have the regular crosswalk back? We just need the white lines painted across the east side of the intersection of Candler and College. How expensive could that possibly be?
+1 Quester
+1 Glockenspieler
If the road is going to remain closed, why is there still 2 stop lights there. It seem they could eliminate the one to E. Howard.
How does a private project/business like this get to cause so much disruption?
Closing an entire street and a bike/walking trail causes a lot of impact.
+1 Glockenspieler
+1 Quester
And I too wonder why they can’t only block it (or part of it) off only when needed. OItherwise all it becomes is a private driveway for this company.