At Monday’s Decatur City Commission meeting, the commission approved the next phase of ongoing sidewalk improvements around the city of Decatur.  $374,900 was awarded to Ohmshiv Construction for sidewalk destruction and installation around the city, along with related road and storm water system construction.

Although there’s a map on page 32 of the meeting materials, it’s hard to tell exactly which foot roads will be getting the love.  But luckily Assistant City Manager David Junger detailed the seven impacted areas during the meeting.  (Links will take you to the Google Streetview locations)

1. North Decatur/Superior bus stop
2. Stretch of east side Glendale Ave (from Glenlake Park to Forkner)
3. Sycamore Drive (at Decatur Heights Church where the sidewalk ends)
4. Commerce Drive/South Columbia – complete redesign of the intersection including traffic calming measures that will slow cars down thru the curve as well as provide better pedestrian crossing
5. West Dougherty Street (from McDonough to Adams) – currently no sidewalk.  A popular Safe Route to School road.
6. Kirk Road (Northside near the Seminary)
7. Small gap on Mead Road

According to Mr. Junger, construction should begin in around 3 weeks and will be complete by late Spring 2011.

Google Streetview of Glendale Ave above.

You might have seen this little fella around town over the last couple years.

That’s because Decatur’s had one Kubota for a couple years now, and even early on city employees mentioned that it was heads-and-tails above the city’s other golf cart-ish trash collectors.

Not only was it a more powerful and effective vehicle, but it also didn’t breakdown nearly as often and was much easier to maintain.

Reporting from last night’s City Commission meeting, Dave notes that Asst. City Manager David Junger reiterated many these points to the commission before they approved the purchase of four new Kubutas at a total cost of around $100,000.

Though it keeps its distance from the U.S. Interstates, Decatur’s got its fair-share of car-catering roads.  These stretches of 40+mph joy are what hip and snarky transit buffs like to call “car sewers”.

Scott Boulevard, Commerce Drive, Howard Ave, and College Ave are Decatur’s biggies.  These are the roads that exist with one goal in mind: to get you from Point A to Point B in the shortest amount of time possible.

“Hooray!” says the afflicted commuter.  “Phooey!” say the ladies and fellas trying to promote and build communities around these auto flush-lines.

But one thing’s for sure, facilitating car sewage ain’t cheap.  Decatur’s City Commission will be reminded of this tonight, when they vote to approve or deny $47,600 in repaving costs along 700 feet of notorious North Decatur Road (along with around $33,000 for milling and repaving costs for sections of 2nd Ave and Superior in preparation for GDOT paving this summer.)

“Huh?”, you may be thinking.  “Decatur’s city line doesn’t stretch up to North Decatur Road!”  Au contraire mon frere.

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UPDATE: Steve comments: “It was an automobile cited for “Failure to maintain lane”. Duh! The DPD did file an accident report.”

Marlatiara asked DM on Twitter…

Haven’t seen anyone mention that the Decatur Cemetery sign is destroyed (near baby Kroger). Know what happened?

And then followed up with…

Looks like something smashed into it. Made me sad b/c they seemed to have just fixed the missing letters – now no letters left!

I’m waiting on a response from Asst. City Manager David Junger for more details.  In the meantime, if anyone drives by and can snap a pic, I’ll add it to the post.