Buckhead Community Improvement District and the Georgia Department of Transportation to Complete Further Analysis on Peachtree Road Corridor
Next public open house postponed until end of 2014
Atlanta – July 14, 2014 – In response to community comments, additional traffic analysis and forecasts are underway to determine the best street design for the Peachtree Road Transformation Project. The Buckhead Community Improvement District (CID) is supporting efforts of the Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) and the Peachtree Task Force to conduct additional analysis and vet additional alternatives before presenting the project to the public again. It is expected to take the remainder of 2014 to perform this work.
The Task Force held several meetings in early 2014 to introduce the concept of dedicated left turn lanes to improve safety and operations along the Corridor.
Currently, the stretch of Peachtree Road from Maple Drive, in Buckhead, to Deering Road, just north of I-85 in Midtown, is under review by Georgia DOT and by consultants hired by the Buckhead CID, to determine if a new street design can be developed that would better address the safety and issues and respond to the needs of residents, businesses, motorists and pedestrians today and in the future.
“After hearing from our community, our goal is to gather additional information that will help us shape the best transportation facility we can,” said Jim Durrett, executive director of the Buckhead CID. “We had hoped to hold our next public open house in July to share the latest proposed plans for the corridor; however, both Georgia DOT and the Buckhead CID have decided to take additional time to respond to concerns expressed by residents living in neighborhoods adjacent to Peachtree Road.”
For years the Buckhead CID, in partnership with Georgia DOT, the City of Atlanta and other organizations, has worked to improve Peachtree Road access and mobility. The goals of the project are to improve safety on the corridor; to best use the existing capacity to accommodate traffic in a cost-effective way; and to provide a safer environment for an increasing number of pedestrians and cyclists who would prefer to walk and cycle rather than drive a car.
“Peachtree Road is Atlanta’s signature landmark location,” stated Russell McMurry, Georgia DOT Chief Engineer. “Its current and forecasted high traffic volumes, business locations and residential areas compel us to study more in-depth the solutions that will make it a safer corridor and one that will move commuters and local trips through the area in the most efficient manner as possible. We would prefer to take as much additional time as necessary to re-evaluate and update the data we have than to proceed with a design concept that the community won’t support.”
“From the Buckhead CID’s perspective, our first and foremost priority is addressing existing and future automobile traffic,” said David Allman, chairman of the board, Buckhead CID. “If the experts don’t believe that we can make an overall improvement in terms of mobility and safety, then it’s a non-starter as far as we are concerned.”
“We realize that virtually everybody dislikes what was previously done on West Paces Ferry,” said Allman, referring to the lane restriping by the City of Atlanta between East Andrews Drive and Peachtree Road. “The public should be assured that this is absolutely not being considered for Peachtree. In fact, we have already proposed to redo the road striping on that stretch of West Paces Ferry, which would be covered by Buckhead CID funds.”
“Our first priority is to optimize the capacity of Peachtree for safer and more reliable movement of automobiles. However, if we can accomplish this goal and still make Peachtree Road a better place to navigate on foot or on a bicycle, we absolutely should try to do both. It’s important for citizens to remember that the Buckhead CID and GDOT will continue to be transparent on all study findings and design recommendations,” said Durrett.
The Buckhead CID and Georgia DOT will continue to provide progress updates on the project to the public, and once the analysis is complete, another public meeting date will be announced to give residents and business leaders an opportunity to review the data and proposed plans, as well as to provide feedback. For more information, visit www.buckheadcid.com.
