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Decatur City Hall.

Update: The transportation study was adopted at the Oct. 15 City Commission meeting. Here is our earlier story … 

At its regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 15, Decatur City Commissioners will consider adopting a study that makes several recommendations to improve traffic flow in and around Talley Street.

The study comes ahead of development continues to ramp up in the area. The Avondale MARTA station transit oriented development and the construction of a new elementary school on Talley Street are projects that will be finished in the immediate future.

At the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, City Schools of Decatur will go from a system of K-3 elementary schools with a 4-5 academy to a system of K-2 elementary schools and two 3-5 academies.

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CSD is building a new 3-5 school at Talley Street which is expected to be finished by the start of the 2019 school year. The new school will cost $22 million and will seat 750 students. F.AVE, will become the other 3-5 school. A mixed use development at the Avondale MARTA station is currently under construction. It will provide 92 senior affordable units and 288 market rate units.

Future development is considered in the East Decatur Station area. In May, City Commissioners rezoned 45.5 acres in the east Decatur area to allow for mixed use development.

The Talley Street Multimodal Transportation Study, which was developed with public input, makes the following recommendations:

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– E. College Avenue at Commerce Drive Intersection – lane modification on all four approaches with dedicated left turn lanes and left turn green arrows

– S. Columbia Drive at Talley Street / Shadowmoor Drive Intersection – split phase signal with improved pedestrian facilities

– Pedestrian and Bicycle Network – network along the Talley Street and Sams Street corridors, connecting to the Stone Mountain PATH Trail, the East Decatur Greenway , and Legacy Park (the former United Methodist Children’s Home property)

– School Circulation – right-turn only in (enter), right-turn only out (exit)

– Safe Routes to School Network – expansion along Commerce Drive, South Columbia Drive, Shadowmoor Drive, Talley Street, Sams Street, and the Avondale MARTA Pedestrian Bridge

– School Zones – along Talley Street and South Columbia Drive

Source: City of Decatur 

“If approved, the implementation of these recommendations will begin immediately,” a memo from Assistant City Manager David Junger says. “We intend to begin with the improvements proposed to the South Columbia Drive at Talley Street/Shadowmoor Drive intersection. Additionally, city staff will be coordinating with MARTA for maintenance improvements to the MARTA Pedestrian Bridge.”

To see illustrations for each of the proposed improvements, click here.

The Oct. 15 Decatur City Commission meeting begins with a work session at 7 p.m. followed by the regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at City Hall, located at 509 North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA. All meetings are open to the public.

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