Decatur’s Transportation Wish List: From Traffic Signals to Medians
Decatur Metro | March 29, 2011 | 4:19 pmDecatur’s Planning Director Amanda Thompson just sent me a copy of the city’s “wish list” that was submitted to the Georgia Department of Transportation for consideration on GDOT’s “unconstrained list” of projects, which will then be submitted to the “Metro Atlanta Roundtable” for further refining before the total list of Atlanta projects (totaling around $8 billion) is decided on by voters in 2012. Got it?
As pointed out by Mayor Bill Floyd, Decatur’s list is primarily pulled from unfinished projects in Decatur’s Community Transportation Plan. The one exception is support for the creation of an Atlanta-wide “Regional Mobility Management Center”, which would coordinate transportation across the entire Atlanta metro region for seniors and disabled persons. It is an element of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s 2008 Feasibility Study, and according to Mayor Floyd, and is “being submitted jointly by several communities around the region and is being included in the ARC list to the Planning Director.”
Now back to Decatur’s list – ordered based on how “newsy” I deemed each of these items.
1. Decatur Transportation Management Center – The TMC would increase safety by taking control of the traffic signal system and managing traffic engineering within the city limits. (The submission notes that in the past three city surveys, residents ranked traffic signal timing as their greatest concern.) – $10 million
2. Scott Boulevard Safety Improvements - Safety Improvements along Scott would include medians, sidewalks, and physical and “visual delineation of pedestrian and vehicle travel space.” – $ 1 million
3. South Columbia Drive Multi-Use Path – The proposal calls for building an 8-10′ wide multi-use path along South Columbia Drive that connects College Avenue to the city limits. The plan would connect with DeKalb improvements on Columbia to the “Memorial Drive BRT (bus rapid transit) transit facility”. – $2 million
4. Downtown Decatur to Clifton Corridor Transit Connectivity and Safety Improvements – This project includes safety upgrades and bicycle, pedestrian and transit supportive facilities on Clairemont Road, Commerce Drive and Church Street “to maximize the connectivity between Downtown Decatur and the Clifton Corridor regional employment center. Improvements include streetscaping, bicycle lanes protected transit stops and shortened pedestrian crossings. – $11 million
5. Decatur State Highway and Regional Throughfare Safety Improvements and Transit Connectivity – Similar to item #4, but deals with South Candler Street, East and West Howard Avenue, and College Avenue connections with Atlanta, Avondale Estates and DeKalb County. – $17.2 million
Related Posts:
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September 21, 2010 Decatur Mayor Indicates that DeKalb Will Also Call For Regional Transit System (1)
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July 22, 2011 ARC Cuts Transportation List Three Ways, Clifton Corridor MARTA Line Called “Prohibitively Expensive” (19)
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March 29, 2011 Atlanta One-Cent Transportation Sales Tax Wish Lists Due Tomorrow (4)
lots of $$$$$$$$$$$$
A million here, a million there, pretty soon we’re talking about real money.
Maybe it’s true, but I just find it hard to believe that a sidewalk can cost $1,000,000.00
Number One should be interesting. Just this morning, the AJC reported that the DOT was also pushing to take that on, becoming responsible for signalization statewide.
#2 would be awesome if they’d also throw in a lower speed limit…
Wow… wow.
You’ll get a multi-use path in return for funding roads you’ll never drive on.
I drive daily (and often bike) on Columbia Dr. #3 sounds like a great idea.
Different people use different roads!
I agree! Making S. Columbia Drive pedestrian & bike friendly would rock! Of the roads being discussed, it’s the one I use most often. I rarely walk it because because of the cars whizzing by. Dekalb’s done a nice job of making the joining section of Memorial Dr. pedestrian friendly. This would really spur Decatur folks to head that way for shopping.
(I love the Aldi/Big Dollar Tree/Kroger/Valu Village/Goodyear/Napa Auto parts/Walmart loop! Looking forward to seeing what the newly redone shopping center’s going to offer!)
I was disparaging the value proposition of the TIA for Decatur, not the multi-use path. See Amanda’s comment: “Some road widening projects being submitted to ARC exceed the cost of our entire request.”
gotcha
@George,
The cost estimates include the cost of design, right-of-way purchase/easement and construction. Generally, between 30-40% of the total cost of the project is eaten up by engineering and trying to comply with environmental standards (e.g. making sure no historic resources are harmed, obtaining easements to access private property during construction etc.) Another factor that can drive up the cost of a seemingly simple project is the addition and/or relocation of stormwater facilities. If you move or add a curb, you have to address the stormwater infrastructure (pipes, drop inlets) that is underneath it.
Even though I’ve been working on transportation issues for the city for six years I’m still suprised at what projects cost and how long it takes to make it through the fed/state approval process. But in today’s environment $1 million dollars is a tiny project. Some road widening projects being submitted to ARC exceed the cost of our entire request.
Amanda Thompson
Planning Director, City of Decatur
PLEASE let Scott Blvd. sidewalks happen. A lot of traffic to the YMCA, to Clairemont Elementary, to Venetian Pools, and just a round the NW neighborhoods would convert from vehicle to pedestrian traffic if good sidewalks existed on both sides of Scott.
YES YES YES!
I heartily agree, as long as the sidewalks have a reasonable separation from the roadway. It is downright scary (and I think dangerous) to have a sidewalk butted right up against a road where the traffic travels between 45 and 55mph.
Running a streetcar up Clairmont was proposed a few years back… to Emory/VA(-BRT), Toco, and I-85… possibly extending to PDK and Chamblee-HRT. Any opinions on that?
A terrific concept — I’ll be riding on it +++
+ 1 IF done right. I know a lot of Clairemont Ave. residents fear it because they do not trust it will be done right. They probably trust the State and the County a lot less than they trust the City.
The Clairemont option is all but dead. The Clifton Corridor Transit Initiative proposals now all have light rail looping down DeKalb Industrial to Avondale Station. Nothing to Decatur anymore. We talked about it back in November: http://www.decaturmetro.com/2010/11/02/light-rail-on-clairemont-road-no-longer-an-option/
From what I heard, the CCTI folks were a bit wary of the historic district implications of Clairemont and the vocal opposition along that strip.
DM, this would be distinct (and I’m not necessarily stepping forward as a proponent), connecting with the BRT from that initiative – though it would be preferable if it that was an extension of HRT.
In this case, I think the implementation would be an alt-fuel, low-floor, bus/trackless trolley, so it’s an upgrade and replacement for MARTA bus route 19. Boarding along Clairemont Ave would hardly change, while stops in the new Toco town center district could use pre-boarding if desired/needed.
I reviewed the previous post (on the C-loop-top/Clifton AA) and associated comments. In this case, ridership remains a valid concern; an upgraded #19 should be seen as an important cross-route between 3 radial MARTA lines. Great attention would be needed in connecting at Emory(Clairmont campus)/VA, including Cliff (and replacing the CCTMA/Decatur shuttle) – considerations could include making the route fare-less and non-MARTA branding.
Atlanta’s wish-list suggests that the appropriateness of HRT for the extension to Emory may have prevailed. That would complement an enhanced bus/trolley service from Decatur MARTA to Chamblee MARTA that crosses it… as if we’re worthy of some well coordinated master plan!
Sad that Fear killed another good idea.
#4 would be a big improvement for those that bike from Decatur to Emory.
Biking on Clairemont Road is challenging, but biking on North Decatur is just plain impossible (unless one uses the sidewalks, as many bikers do).
Ten MILLION dollars, to time some traffic lights? Yes, i would like the lights timed. That price just sounds outrageous.
$9,999,975.00 will be used to pay a consulting firm to tell us where to put the key locker to hold the set of keys to the already operational signal control boxes for the already operational traffic signals. The remaining $25 will be used to buy and install said key locker.
That number made my jaw drop also. Hard to believe…
I think it’s great that city has prioritized Scott Boulevard! I actually find it hard to believe that $1 million is enough for the Scott Boulevard improvements. Also, in C T Plan Scott Boulevard is shown as a four, instead of five lane road. Will the center turn lane be removed?
I find it hard to imagine that anything can be done about Scott Blvd., which was so aptly referred to by a poster here awhile back as a “sluice for cars.” There are already sidewalks on some portions of it and I have walked it from Fernbank to my house and you just don’t feel really safe with the cars whizzing by you at 50 to 60 miles an hour…
The sidewalks will go from 4 to 7 feet wide with a 2′ buffer before the road bed. This will be a great improvement. The proposal shows narrower lane widths which will slow some people down. It would be great to get a lower posted speed and more police enforcement.
Scott Boulevard and the residents who live on the western side of the road are a part of the city of Decatur. If walking and biking is a priority in our city we should make improvements in all areas of our city, not just the easy fixes.
Well that sounds like an improvement. What Scott Blvd really needs is… A ROUNDABOUT where Ponce and Scott meet!
Probably a simple matter of adding 25 million… no problem!
The triangle of death!
Geez, don’t give them any ideas!
These lanes already seem narrower than usual. Comment?
Buses already run from Decatur to Emory and to the VA. Buses run all over the Emory campus (at a tremendous cost, I might add). They mostly run empty.
Why does this corridor use more transit?
Um…actually, they don’t “run mostly empty”. Most of their routes are at or above capacity. If you’re seeing empty shuttles, that means they’ve dropped off a full load and are going back for another full load.
The Clifton Corridor is the most densely populated activity center in this part of DeKalb County. There’s a University, three hospitals, clinics, and the CDC packed into a 1.8 mile strip of road, and very little direct connection to MARTA stations on the NS and the EW lines.
Believe me, transit improvements there would improve traffic throughout Decatur and western Dekalb County.
Baloney (to be polite). When you can sit at a Emory bus stop and see 4 shuttles lined up and each is empty, nothing is carrying to capacity. And the cost to Emory is tremendous.
Malarky (to be equally as polite). Please enlighten us as to which shuttles you’re referring to and what time of day you’ve sat through watching 4 of them pass by empty. If you’re talking about the on campus routes, then that may be true, and they have to run continuously. It’s not an ‘on-demand’ service. If you’re talking about the commuter routes (Park-and-Rides, CCTMA, hospitals, Exec Park), by all means tell us which ones.
And yes, the cost to Emory is tremendous.
Horse-hockey. I use the Emory shuttle system every work day, and many days wind up standing because they’re above seated capacity.
One could argue about how to save Emory money; increased capacity vehicles with slightly less frequency would be my suggestion. According to one of the drivers, at peak hours, there are 16 drivers on the C and E routes (the ones that connect Clairmont campus with main campus).
Bull$hit.
I have no dog in this fight; I just wanted to use the word that everyone is dancing around. Because it amuses me.
And now back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Awwwww… I was hoping to see balderdash & tommyrot show up too!
That “mostly empty” statement is the same argument some people use against any improvement to MARTA bus service use. But they do note cite a data source for their statement.
Public transit is always about more than a simple supply and demand equation.
Other than supply and demand, to what other factors are you refering?
Argghh ‘need ‘ more transit
What about more roundabouts? How many of those could we get for overpriced syncronized lights?
Seriously. Traffic circles obviate the need for traffic signal management and maintenance. They also reduce vehicle speeds while simultaneously increasing throughput efficiency – which makes for better pedestrian and road safety while also reducing vehicle emissions.
If Decatur is everything it is claimed to be, we ought to be putting in traffic circles all over the place.
As I have said before….a greaty place for a circle would be the entranceway to downtown on West Ponce at the Post office and Nelson Ferry!
As I have said before….a great place for a traffic circle would be at the entranceway to downtown on West Ponce at the Post office and Nelson Ferry! Add a great fountain or public art.
Please, please do something to slow down the maniacs on Commerce Speedway!
Especially at the times when kids are walking or cycling to or from school
Perhaps this is a consequence of a successful implementation of Commerce as a by-pass.