Category: transportation

Downtown Decatur and Oakhurst Each Getting an Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Decatur is planning on installing two electric charging stations -one in Downtown Decatur on North McDonough (see above) and one on Mead Rd adjacent to Harmony Park – in the next few weeks.

The city will dedicate two parking spots in both locations to electric vehicles.

A note from Asst. City Manager Lyn Menne notes that the electric charging stations will be free to use for the first year, while the city evaluates usage.  Though you’ll still have to pay to park AND there’s still a two hour limit on using the spot.

h/t: Decaturish

“Decatur Makeover” Website Relaunched as New City-Wide Traffic Resource

Is Decatur traffic an important – if potentially annoying – part of your day-to-day?

Well, the city now has a resource that helps you keep up to speed on where traffic disruptions are occurring all over the city!  (Not just those big, fancy face-lifts along the railway, etc).

Over on the new Decatur Makeover site, the city recommends taking the following steps to stay up-to-date…

+ Read the latest updates for what to expect, and what to avoid.

+ Sign up for our all new email list to receive notification whenever we post.

+ Follow the city on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo courtesy of Greg

Decatur Bikes Is Going Out of Business

Decatur Bikes sent out this message…

Hi fellow cyclists and happy new year! Unfortunately this email will be one of the last you see from Decatur Bikes as we are going out of business. We have had a 10 great years but unfortunately the retail environment that we are in today doesn’t allow for us to continue.  Thanks so much for all of your support over the years and we hope to continue to see you around the neighborhood.

Below are pictures of quite a bit of inventory that is all on closeout. Right now all accessories are 30% off and bikes are at must go prices Call the store with pricing and size questions.

Thank You.

Photo courtesy of Decatur Bikes Facebook page

Decatur Proposes Streets To Be Paved in 2018

Each year, the city gets funding from the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) program to pave a few local roads.

This year, the city is proposing paving the following streets, according to a letter included in the city commission’s agenda this evening…

  • Westchester Drive – from Scott Boulevard to Harold Byrd Drive
  • Harold Byrd Drive – from Westchester to the dead end
  • Northern Ave – from West Ponce to Oakland Street
  • Avery Street – from Winnona Drive to Kirk Road
  • Fifth Avenue – from Oakview Road to Northern Street (city limits)

The city selects streets after an evaluation of streets from engineering stuff, and taking complaints and inquiries received from citizens into consideration.

Photo courtesy of Decatur Extreme Makeover website

Paving of N. McDonough and Other Downtown Streets Begins Today

In a race to avoid paving during the looming school year (1 week away! Where can I get 20 Ticonderoga pencils?!), the City of Decatur is planning to pave a bunch of the under-construction streets of downtown this week, including the city’s biggest street project of late, North McDonough.

Other streets due for the ol’ black asphalt makeover include the loop at Barry Street, N. Candler and E Howard (but not Pate Street!  Gravel4life!) and the railroad intersections at N. McDonough and S.Candler.  Say what you want about Decatur construction, that’s some serious paving coordination right there.

The Extreme Makeover website says that you should expect lane closures on North McDonough and the railroad intersections during the paving over the next 2-3 days, but two-way traffic will remain open.   Access to Barry, N. Candler and E Howard will stilll be extremely limited, but what else is new.  đź™‚

Paving was supposed to begin yesterday, but I didn’t get this post up in time so they delayed it.  Just kidding.  They say it was due to rain or something.

Almost there!

Old N. McDonough construction photo courtesy of DM

Decatur Community Transportation Plan Update Coming

I’m pretty jazzed that this is coming up again soon.  I was just thinking about my old roundabout idea the other day!  I can’t believe it’s been 10 years.  From the AJC…

Decatur has recently hired a consultant to provide master planning services for updating the community transportation plan. Community input meetings should begin in late August or September.

…“Some of the things I think you’ll see with the new plan include better street crossings,” Planning Director Angela Threadgill said. “I think you’ll see enhancing of the Safe Routes to School program. We’d like to create some off-street pathways, and I think you’ll start to see sharrows [lanes for both cars and bikes] disappear. They are nationally falling out of favor.”

The final plan needs approval from the city commission. Threadgill believes the community input process should take 10 months and finish by late next spring.

Photo courtesy of DM

Check Out and Provide Feedback on Concepts To “Transform West Howard Avenue”

Decatur residents have just a few more days – June 30th! – to provide online feedback on the city’s concepts to “Reimagine West Howard Avenue”.  Click here to do so on Open City Hall.  331 of your neighbors have already done so! (as of the time of publication)

Here’s the city’s summary from Open City Hall for your reference…

Studies have been conducted to examine solutions that will transform Howard Avenue into a more lively street, using public art, landscaping, street furniture, lighting, and programming.