Comments on: State Transportation Director Sends TIA List to Roundtable, Cuts Scott Blvd Improvements

By: just cranky

just cranky — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 17:02:56 +0000

Fred, the state highway route continues on Ponce through Druid Hills and into downtown. So why does the speed limit change when the road leaves Decatur and enters the city of Atlanta? They’ve planted trees and put in street lights all along there. Why is Scott different if it’s the same state route?

And Clairemont is also a state route, but we seem to be able to make changes there. Why does GDOT allow that? Just asking.

By: Fred Boykin

Fred Boykin — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 16:39:02 +0000

No question – Scott Blvd is a tough one. Rob did a great job staying on top of GDOT and finally getting them to re-stripe Scott so the travel lanes were moved farther away from the curb face. It’s in the section basically from Clairemont to Venetian Pools.

Some time ago (5-6 years?) GDOT redid their street design guidelines and a number of us tried to get them to change their street classifications to allow more sidewalk space, trees, benches, etc. We thought they were going to accept the recommendations, but they changed them at the last minute. I believe it was the Chief Engineer at the time who was quoted by the AJS as saying that sidewalks were considered “vehicle recovery zones” and the GDOT was not going to add any fixed objects (like trees, benches,etc.) along the right-of-way. Needless to say, he caught a lot of flack for that comment! So GDOT ended up classifying streets by their speed limit and what “objects” could be placed next to the street and how far they had to be from the curb, I believe the speed change was 35 mph. Above that, a tree, etc. had to be way away from the curb. Below 35 mph, things could be a lot closer.

Since Scott is rated above 35mph, there’s nothing that the City could do to turn that stretch into a boulevard type street or anything where trees, benches or other treatments are anywhere close to the edge of the roadway. Plus Scott is a state highway route and GDOT is fierce about refusing to let “locals” make any changes to those routes.

Rob was very instumental in getting GDOT to at least move the side stripes away from the curb and narrow the travel lanes. He also got them to cut and trim the grass and bushes on the Westchester side of Scott – something they at first refused to do until Rob and the City pointed out that if it was “their” road, then they had the responsibility to maintain the sidewalks.

They “owe” the community a sidewalk on the Garden Lane side of Scott and – believe it or not – that will eventually happen…. (I hope!)

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:31:34 +0000

They would have to me ADA compliant, which is one reason that they’re also pretty expensive with long ramps, etc.

By: RobP

RobP — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:19:40 +0000

Heavy Sigh… I pushed the GA DOT to get these improvements for a few years now. I’ve checked in with the City to see if they were actually going to get done every 6 months or so. Everyone always provided assurances they would be accomplished. I have to say I’m not surprised though. Just disappointed.

By: Randy the Ram

Randy the Ram — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:17:47 +0000

I’ve wondered this myself. I would think that they could be made bike and wheelchair accessible as well. I wonder if something like that would be considered unsightly? Even if that were the case, it would seem that Decatur’s intent to not just be pedestrian friendly, but to encourage walkin’ and rollin’ would outweigh concerns over aesthetics.

Such a cross-over could fit into that Peavine Trail suggested above.

I sympathize with the folks in that NW corner who have to negotiate Scott. It really is unpleasant to ride along. And scary to cross anywhere but at the light at Clairmont.