Decatur City Commission Asked To Create New “No Parking Zones”
Decatur Metro | January 3, 2011
On the docket for tonight’s first Decatur City Commission meeting of 2011 are two requests for new “No Parking Zones” inside the city limits.
With the recent reduction of lanes along West Ponce de Leon Avenue, the city’s Senior Engineer John Madajewski is requesting that the City Commission extend the “No Parking Zone” along West Ponce from Pinetree Lane to Adair Street.
Parking is currently allowed on the north side of the street, used primarily by St. Thomas More parishioners on Sunday mornings. However, with the reduction of lanes to just two, parking of the north side of the street blocks westbound traffic requiring drivers to travel in the left-turn only travel lane “and then illegally cut through the West Ponce de Leon Avenue/West Trinity Place intersection to resume traveling westbound on West Ponce de Leon Avenue.”
The other new “No Parking Zone” under consideration tonight is along Feld Avenue behind Oakhurst Elementary.
Assistant City Manager David Junger explains in a note that the “Safe Routes to School Committee” has identified the need for a crosswalk across Feld Avenue behind the elementary school and “in order to make the crossing as safe as possible”, the Engineering Division is recommending creation of a “No Parking Zone” along the rear of the Oakhurst Elementary School property “to provide a clear line of sight for parents and students to look for oncoming traffic before entering the crosswalk.”
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Let’s hope the Commission exercises common sense and passes the no parking on West Ponce.
Agreed, but it seems arbitrary that one of two lanes approaching the single-lane improvement on Ponce is striped for left-only onto Trinity. This sort of funnels pass-through traffic directly into the bike lane, on a hilltop, at that.
I, too, don’t like the way the recent improvements on West Ponce — and i do like the bank lanes –have resulted in making the Trinity/West Ponce intersection more confusing. Especially for those headed toward Atlanta. Not sure the left turn only lane there makes good traffic sense.
I’ve gotten caught in that turn lane too. Is there a viable alternative?
I think the lane makes sense as a turn-only, but only if it’s unmistakably so. For example, if the on street indicators were much bolder and began as far back as Water Street, plus the dotted line actually turned towards Trinity to show the forced turn, and the right-hand through lane markings became more clear and smoothed out as the dominant lane.
I don’t think it’s an “is it good or bad” type situation. They just need to fine tune the execution.
Did it pass?
I oppose any change in the parking rules in front of STM. My personal belief is that government should be encouraging citizens to participate in religious activities but at the very least, government should be neutral in making decisions that affect church attendance. This change will have a negative impact on Saint Thomas More. STM parishioners have been using this side of West Ponce for parking for more than 50 years. Parishioners that cannot find convenient parking may simply stop coming to church. Some older parishioners rely on this side of the street for parking. Had I known that a change in STM parking would result from adding bike lanes on West Ponce, I would have been even more vocal in my opposition.
Hi,
Are you serious Chris? I think he is talking about the Pinetree side–for years I’ve watched people cross Ponce to the church illegally and unsafely. There are many people who park on the northside that should not park there, and there are times when I go to church when there are multiple parking spaces in the back, but both sides of Ponce is packed with cars. This is a safety issue that should be addressed, bike lanes are no bike lanes. (and there is an elevator and a ramp for people who are disabled or wheelchair bound. )Also, there is an area to let people off in the front, as you know.
I presume you have noticed the two additional lanes of on-street parking available along Ponce since the street improvements have been completed? More parking space than you can shake a stick at.
While there are merits to making this area no parking zones, there are disadvantages too. The city should have also help the church come up with an alternative plan. That way, fewer feathers are ruffled.