Decatur, GA — The city of Decatur held another open house last week on the traffic calming project planned for South McDonough Street. The design includes adding lane shifts and other elements to slow traffic.

“Of particular interest to many was a series of new concepts produced for the S. McDonough / Garland Avenue intersection,” a post on a city website states. “While there are of course many possible configurations, the four options presented represent the most viable approaches, balancing a diversity of community interests and concerns with technical and financial feasibility, to improve safety around the current slip lane.”

The city has also launched a survey to receive input on the intersection and other aspects of the design with our online survey. The survey is open through Dec. 1. To take the survey, click here.

The design includes adding chicanes to slow traffic and increase drivers’ attentiveness, according to the presentation from the meeting. There is on-street parking on a portion of the east side of the street and the existing speed table was moved farther down the road due to the site conditions and poor visibility.

The sidewalk and existing on-street parking on the west side of the street will remain. Curb extensions will be added to protect crosswalks, increase visibility and maintain stormwater drainage patterns.

A new crosswalk with flashing beacons is planned to be located at the intersection of South McDonough Street and Garland Avenue “to provide a predictable, safe crossing for pedestrians along the existing sidewalk on S. McDonough Street (new sidewalks are outside the scope of this project), increase crossing visibility to drivers, and to reduce vehicular speeds,” the presentation states.

The crosswalk would also provide an opportunity for a potential asphalt mural or art.

There are a few options for how the intersection of South McDonough and Garland Avenue could be designed. The options include a few different ways of closing slip lane. One option closes the slip lane with asphalt art and flex posts, and another closes it by extending the island.

Another option extends the island slightly to close the slip lane. But it would allow for bicycles to pass through and would accommodate two turning lanes

The final option leaves the slip open but modifies it to create a split intersection. The island would be widened to reduce the lane width to slow vehicles.

Here are the options for the intersection:

Photo courtesy of the city of Decatur.

To see a larger version of this image and to see the full presentation, click here.

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