LAST WEEK: WHAT SHOULD BE ON THE LIST OF NORTH FULTON ROAD IMPROVEMENTS?
Fulton County residents outside of Atlanta will vote in November on raising a sales tax of three-quarters of a penny to fund traffic and transportation improvements. County officials met with municipal leaders and agreed the price tag will be $500 million to $600 million for various projects over five years.
The General Assembly approved a bill to allow Atlanta to vote on a half-penny sales tax referendum this fall to be spent on MARTA within city limits. Separate language addressed a transportation referendum in Fulton County outside the Atlanta city limits.
A group composed of staffers from various cities and a consultant group has worked up a draft list of possible projects, which is being presented to City Councils in several cities including Alpharetta, Roswell and Sandy Springs.
As one of the most congested commutes in metro Atlanta, we asked North Fultonites to weigh in on what they thought the choke points most needing improvements are.
Here are some responses:
Rucker Road becomes Old Milton Parkway west of Wills Road (by Wills Park). We are the only east-west thoroughfare in Alpharetta…a 2-lane residential street that is clogged mornings and afternoons and full of moving traffic the balance of each day. What we need are two additional lanes to carry the thousands of cars through our neighborhoods. I fear city officials have never traveled Rucker Road during rush hours. — Georgann Delling, Alpharetta
Holcomb Bridge Road (Ga. 92) is a nightmare all day long. It's been widened and extended, but it's only gotten worse over the years. The lights (on 92) through Roswell are intolerable. We wait several minutes to get on Ga. 92 then have to stop at all of the lights once we are on it. Lefthand turn lanes that were recently extended now fill up and block the straight-ahead lanes again. The volume of cars just keeps on increasing as the road moves westward and funnels more drivers onto it. — Jim McCann
The stretch between Jones Bridge and Union Hill on McGinnis Ferry has long needed relief. Bridge repairs have been neglected and accidents have happened regularly at that point. It is bumper-to-bumper every day during rush hour. The placement of roundabouts in the area has in effect moved traffic to this corridor. Huge trucks go over a bridge not built to sustain the weight and passing them the other way is nothing less than treacherous. — Michael Nova
The roads that lie between I-85 and Ga .400 are the most congested in the metro area. Expansion of roads will help somewhat, but this is not the longterm solution. Rail service will be required to ensure shorter commutes and a higher quality of life. — Richard Miller
Peachtree Corners incorporated on July 1, 2012 on land nestled in the western corner of the county.
As a young, four-year old, Peachtree Corners has worked to establish itself with an identity centered around the slogan, “Innovative and Remarkable”. The city actively works to attract new business, enforce city codes, and is well underway on the development of a new Town Center.
The idea for a city-center to include restaurants, retail, performing arts center, town green and townhomes, is the result of a series of studies, workshops and community meetings.
Along with these efforts, discussions are currently underway to build a pedestrian bridge across Peachtree Parkway between the Forum shopping center and future Town Center. Not a simple bridge, but an “iconic landmark”.
According to Mayor Mike Mason, “By building more than just a walkway, we have the opportunity to create a distinctive landmark that will serve the community well for years to come.”
Lawrenceville has its Historic Gwinnett County Courthouse. Duluth and Suwanee have their own distinctive town centers.
A unique pedestrian bridge could provide Peachtree Corners with a sense of place and identity, and as Community Development Director Diana Wheeler puts it, “There are also economic development benefits to a landmark bridge that would help businesses and strategic marketing.”
Peachtree Corners property owners have a zero millage rate and access to about 6 million SPLOST dollars dedicated to transportation. Mason states, “No additional city taxes will be needed to pay for the pedestrian bridge.”
How do new cities establish their identity? What efforts do you think make a city memorable and desirable?
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