Comments on: Another Accident on Commerce, This Time Near Cemetery

By: Ridgelandistan

Ridgelandistan — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:58:32 +0000

I may be wrong on this but I don’t think “COD” does traffic infrastructure or light timing. Isn’t that a Dekalb County function?

It must be tough working with existing infrastructure. Vehicles have developed in size, speed and numbers. Expectations of convenience rise to the detriment of other road users.

By: Decatur Heights Dad

Decatur Heights Dad — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:28:12 +0000

The COD wanted to force traffic onto Commerce, so this should not be a surprising result. They wanted to force traffic off Ponce since it intersected Downtown and the traffic flows inhibited people from safely crossing the Ponce. Well the traffic is where they wanted it, on Commerce.

The COD cannot then turn around and narrow Commerce. If they do that, then they may as well call Decatur, Virginia Highlands because the traffic will be as bad if not worse. Clogging all the arteries will not alleviate traffic.

The city needs to have an extensive traffic study done of the entire COD. All of the lights, traffic timing, traffic flow (schools open vs. closed), etc. I know one was recently done, but it seems the emphasis is on walkability as opposed to flow and safety.

Another example of poor traffic planning, turning left from College onto Candler is a NIGHTMARE because there’s no turn arrow. So every morning or afternoon when I’m going to pick up my little one from College Heights it’s traffic derby.

The COD can do better.

By: Ridgelandistan

Ridgelandistan — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:34:37 +0000

That’s the point. you wouldn’t. It’s a completely inappropriate speedway in an urban area. The problems with Commerce are mostly experienced by those that have to cross it. twice. to get anywhere in Decatur.

By: J_T

J_T — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:47:00 +0000

You know what make the launching pad even more fun? The metal plate just down the road from it at the entrance to the Callaway Building. Knowing that it’s there, I now go straight from the right lane and then merge left after the tire cruncher. It’s usually not a problem because people slow down for the dip and then again for the plate, so you can zip past them. But the fun comes when an unsuspecting non-local hits that launch pad at 40 mph, just about loses control and then immediately freaks out when they see the metal plate and swerves to the right. I almost got taken out by a Tahoe doing that the other day!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:35:11 +0000

Just to get back to the original subject for a second…I have been in some very near-collisions at the ‘big bend’ on Commerce at the cemetery. More often than not it’s due to east/south bound cars (coming from Church toward Ponce in the inside of the curve) crossing over the double yellow line. Just this morning I was almost in a head-on from someone crossing that line! It’s the worst when it’s a bus or a big truck that’s hard to avoid.