Prepared by Monica Morgan, MANA Sustainability and Public Works Chair
MEETING TOPIC: Presentation of Final Design for North Decatur Rd. from Webster Ct. up to the 6-way Medlock Rd./North Decatur Rd./Scott Blvd. intersection
City of Decatur
worked with Dekalb Co., GDOT, MARTA, and several consultants over the
last 2 years to put together a plan for N. Decatur Rd. to address safety
concerns, traffic speeds, and drainage. In past presentations a number of
different options were proposed to the public and polls taken. The presentation
shown at the meeting is the final design selected in partnership with the
groups listed above and can be found at here. City of Decatur's North Decatur
Road Initiative page has additional information, slides and files about this planning
process. Images below are from City of Decatur documents unless otherwise
noted. Presentation slides can be found here.
It is worth highlighting that when residents discuss North Decatur Road concerns, there are multiple jurisdictions and interests represented. Currently, City of Decatur has a drainage project on the section along its boundary; while doing so, they are trying to also include road safety improvements (e.g., pedestrian crossing being striped, with crossing signal being installed in late October; other temporary paving). The City of Decatur section is flanked by roads that are the responsibility of DeKalb County. At our six-way intersection, Scott Blvd./Highway 78, a state highway that prioritizes moving traffic in and out of Atlanta, intersects with North Decatur and Medlock Roads. Local residents worry that changes may drive additional traffic into residential streets. As MANA knows from years of working with area developers to improve pedestrian and bike safety and access, collaboration among jurisdictions has not always been smooth due to conflicting priorities and funding availability. The current project, with its focus on safety, shows a level of collaboration that is very encouraging.
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| Blue section highlights City of Decatur section of the project. |
As neighborhood lore goes, North Decatur Road was originally a two-lane road that was expanded to accommodate additional traffic as the area grew. Four-lane roads can be problematic, as the presented crash data and traffic analyses confirm. Like skiers swerving around slalom gates, some drivers leave their lane to weave around cars that are slowing down to make turns or due to other vehicles or pedestrians not readily visible to the impatient driver. This can result in crashes and reduces safety for all. Thus, at peak times, the road is never truly two lanes flowing. Add elevation changes and turns on this road, and the result is too many accidents and fatalities. This section of North Decatur Road has the traffic capacity to benefit from a “road diet” to address existing concerns. The Federal Highway Administration has a list of countermeasures that can be expected to reduce 17%-47% of crashes in situations like ours. The presentation outlines both short-term measures to improve safety and long-term improvements that would come if the project is completed in full.
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| City of Decatur road section highlighted in the middle, with brackets marking DeKalb Co. road sections. |
FINAL DESIGN SELECTED – ROAD DIET WITH IMPROVEMENTS:
Of the designs presented in 2023, the “Road Diets with Improvements” was the plan selected
- Reduced lanes to a single lane in each direction, with transition zones/increased lanes closer to 6 way intersection.
2 left turn lanes at 6 way to increase traffic flow through the intersection
- A center lane that would alternate between a both-way turn lane and potential raised mid-block pedestrian crossing
by concentrating lane turn activity in the middle lane, the remaining lanes should have more consistent speeds, if likely slower at peak times—which adds safetly
- Eliminating one lane creates space for a 10’ Shared-use path along South side of N. Decatur Rd.
- Eliminating one lane also creates space for a 6’ sidewalk along North side
- NO roundabout at N Superior – Cost prohibitive and not supported by the public
- Adding retro-reflective backing to traffic lights for improved visibility
- Enhanced striping and other improvements that provide safety for pedestrians and cue drivers to reduce speed (please see the slides linked above).
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| Recommendation: Reduction to 3 lanes (with center turn lane) that allows the creation of a 10' multi-use path (south side of the road) and a 6' sidewalk (north side). |
ADDITIONAL NOTES: (please see slides for additional images)
- Traffic counts determined that road diet (reduced lanes) was appropriate for the number of vehicles that travel N. Decatur
- Short-term safety improvements along N. Decatur have been approved while final plan is in approval process (see slides for details)
- Similar project was completed at Chamblee Tucker just north of Lavista
- Per Ms. Keeter, road diets are about safety, not efficiency or an attempt to divert traffic into neighborhoods. Per DeKalb data and models, improved roads continue to serve the same traffic level, at lower speeds
SIX-WAY INTERSECTION:
- Many options were looked at with GDOT but they declined to proceed due to other intersections in the state being deemed more in need/ dangerous.
- NOW: Dekalb County Transportation (Patrece Keeter) is looking at reworking the 6-way. TBD
IF FUNDING IS VIABLE then the County can move forwar
GDOT permit will be required. GDOT wants intersection improvements.
TIMING:
- Final cost analysis will be completed and presented to Dekalb Co. Transportation (Patrece Keeter). – in 6 months (approx. April 2025)
- Dekalb Co. Transportation will present plan and costs to Commissioners
- DeKalb County Commissioners approval needed for funding
- If approved – then project will move into Design (~ 1 year) and Construction (~18 months).
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Neighbors reviewing are maps and having questions answers by the presenters. |
FINAL THOUGHTS
If DeKalb County Commissioners do not approve funding for the plan, the only funding available is that which the City of Decatur has assigned to complete its drainage project within city limits.
Several residents who live along the corridor raised the concern that any changes to North Decatur Road (lane reduction, slower speeds) will increase cut-through traffic on nearby residential streets. The speakers acknowledged that this may be true but that volume is not as high as one might think. Early on, drivers will test out new routes but will ultimately settle on what works best. Also see comment above by Ms. Keeter (that the road would still serve the same amount of traffic but at lower speeds).
We are excited about the big-picture, long-term improvements to safety, user experience, mobility, and connectivity that full approval and funding of this project would bring to area residents. We are also concerned about existing safety issues in our streets and how those risks will escalate with increased traffic (whether related to North Decatur improvements or simply due to our area's population growth). This would be a good time to discuss how the County can improve residential street safety. The streets with the largest impacts should have sidewalks, as well as improved striping and other appropriate safety-enhancing improvements as highlighted by the City of Decatur's report.
