Trinity Place Temporarily Reduced To Two Lanes, Harmony Park Expansion Begins
Decatur Metro | June 11, 2015 | 9:47 amThe Decatur Minute reported yesterday that the expansion of Harmony Park in Oakhurst has begun.
This includes demolition of the existing public parking area, installation of storm drainage improvements and the construction of a new plaza. A new permanent angled parking area will be provided on East Lake Drive in front of One Step at a Time and Oakhurst Market.
Click over to the Minute for info on how the city is accommodating cars and peds in the interim.
Around Downtown Decatur, Church Street south of Trinity continues to be quite the construction zone as well. The Minute states that construction there will soon wrap up and they are just waiting on streetlight installation and for Comcast & AT&T to transfer utilities to new poles.
However, don’t expect that to be the end of construction in the area. As of yesterday, GS Construction has moved on to installing new curbing and sidewalks along East Trinity Place from McDonough to Church Street. As such, that strip will be reduced to 2 lanes, creating an even more fun traffic situation in peak hours.
CLICK HERE for more info on the Oakhurst Streetscape Improvements. And CLICK HERE for more info on the scope of Phase V of the Downtown Streetscape Improvements.
Photo courtesy of the Decatur Minute
A little fun history as it relates to Trinity Place, the name of which has always bugged me (yeah, I’m weird like that) because it hasn’t been a “Place”in over a hundred years.
Originally, the spur between where City Hall is and the tracks was called both Trinity Place and Railroad Avenue, which made sense because a Place, historically, is a modest, dead-ending street while an Avenue, historically, has indicated an important thoroughfare, typically connecting or terminating on key civic assets or spaces. Railroad Avenue brought folks from a dead-end at McDonough in downtown Decatur all the way down to the railroad. Then, south of the tracks, it became South Candler Street.
Trinity west of McDonough didn’t exist then. Now that it does, I say we rename the whole stretch, from W. Ponce to the tracks, as Railroad Avenue. If nothing else, it would once again be etymologically correct. Which I’m sure would ease the discomfort we all feel. 😉
Wonk on!
That makes too much sense. Rational street names? Name streets rationally? I say, rename half of it “Boulevard” and the other half “Boulevard Peachtree,” with the dividing line at different points in the eastbound and westbound lanes. Then cap each street sign with an additional, larger, orange street sign reading “Commerce-Ponce Connector.” That fits the regional paradigm far better.
How about the Burrell Ellis Way?
Construction on E. Howard and now Church Street have left businesses crippled. No way to get to the Music Center, Ballet School, Color Wheel and more. It should be illegal to block businesses and interrupt their ability to make money. These businesses have repeat clients who have already paid for services they cannot provide. The City of Decatur seems to be unable to control what happens in their city. Construction should be managed in such a way that businesses that have been here for years can go about their daily activities. I see money being lost with no end in sight. Please have some courtesy!
Sorry, but at least one lane of traffic has been maintained on Church St throughout the project with at least 2, sometimes 3, flaggers controlling things. I know for a fact that the contractor made sure that all driveways were accessible during most business hours, even pouring concrete at odd times to maintain access. Just because you couldn’t park at the front door and the street wasn’t as smooth as glass doesn’t mean you couldn’t get to the businesses.
Oh, and as far as E Howard is concerned, there are no business on the part that is closed and the detour can be done without undue effort.