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A local intersection that’s received renewed scrutiny lately won’t be cheap to fix and that’s likely to cost $1.5 million, Decatur Mayor Patti Garrett said.

The draft of the city’s transportation plan was released July 11 for public review and feedback. It lists several intersections for improvement, including North Decatur Road and Superior Avenue.

That intersection was the subject of a letter to the editor published on July 10. Lt. Jennifer Ross with the Decatur Police Department provided some context for the letter and said there have been 44 accidents at that intersection since Jan. 1, 2012.

 

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The transportation plan, which has been in the works for months, suggests widening North Decatur Road to create a left turn lane. It calls for a new warning signal and signage, high visibility cross walks and a pedestrian refuge in the median on the west side of the intersection. Making the improvements could be a costly endeavor. It will require 12 feet of right of way and the relocation of the existing retaining wall on the northeast corner.

Mayor Garrett recently told Decaturish that the area is complicated because most of North Decatur Road is in unincorporated DeKalb County.

She said, “only about 530 yards of street length [is] located within the city of Decatur, including the intersection of North Decatur Road and Superior/North Superior Road where traffic signals are operated by DeKalb County.”

“In order to improve safety along the road the entire corridor between Clairmont Road and Scott Boulevard/Medlock Road needs to be addressed in a comprehensive way which would include our portion of the road but would primarily require DeKalb County’s participation,” Garrett said.

She noted that the draft transportation plan recommends improvements for this intersection.

“Final costs have not been completed but based on transportation projects we have recently completed and some that are ongoing, it would not be unreasonable to expect that costs would easily be in the $1.5 million range, not including costs stormwater drainage pipes and culverts that would have to be replaced and rebuilt,” she said.

She said the city has discussed the issue with DeKalb County.

“This is definitely a street that we have had conversations with DeKalb County about and will continue to do so,” Garrett said. “I believe DeKalb County is updating their Community Transportation Plan over the next year and this is an area of particular interest to us.”

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