Avondale Estates is still waiting to get its concept report approved by the Georgia Department of Transportation regarding the reconfiguration of U.S. 278, the city’s primary thoroughfare.
Assistant City Manager Keri Stevens said the report’s getting reviewed from several GDOT bureaus including engineering, environmental, traffic and historic preservation since much of the corridor traverses Avondale’s historic district.
“We’re optimistic they will allow us to move forward,” Stevens said recently. “We’ve worked through their planned development process, we’ve had all the required meetings. If they don’t approve it we’ll have to go back to the drawing board.”
U.S. 278 was widened considerably in the 1950s, like many Georgia highways. But beginning in 2013 Avondale has mulled over options essentially to slice it from five lanes to three. The city also has plans to add bike lanes, wider sidewalks and create shorter crossings across 278, thus making downtown more accessible to residents south of the hedges.
With five intersections having traffic lights throughout the three-quarters mile corridor, city consultant Stantec is studying more efficient signal timing while also trying to figure out how to eliminate some the city’s infinite curb cuts.
Because 278 is a state road, the Georgia Department of Transportation has final approval of the entire project.
“Right now we’re in a holding pattern,” Stevens said. “[GDOT] determines the details and the parameters. We can’t schedule anything, including meetings, until we hear from them.”
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