Local News
Decatur outlines goals for traffic calming along state roads
This is the crosswalk at South Candler Drive and Davis Street, which in the next few months will receive a hawk light, or pedestrian-activated device. This stretch is also part of the new school zone which has doubled in length and has been modified for both Winnona Park and Renfroe students. Candler is one of three state roads traversing Decatur, along with College Avenue and Scott Boulevard. Bill Banks file photo for the AJC.
During a recent Decatur city commission meeting, Assistant City Manager David Junger outlined several several short- and long-term goals for traffic calming along the city’s three state roads. The projects were created in collaboration with Georgia’s Department of Transportation:
- Doubling the length of the school zone on South Candler Drive, from Green Street to about 200 feet south of College Avenue. That zone has now been modified to include both those students walking to and from Renfroe Middle School and Winnona Park Elementary.
- Building a pedestrian activated device or "hawk light" at the Candler/Davis Street crossing. By pushing a button the pedestrian creates a full stop red light. Junger hopes to have it finished by early March.
- A new conventional crosswalk at Candler/Pharr Road.
- Painting 8-inch wide edge lines (up from the current 5-inch wide lines) on Scott Boulevard from the western city limit to Clairmont Avenue. The purpose is to give the visual perception of a narrower driving lane, thus making drivers less comfortable driving at high rates of speed. Work should start later this month.
- Eliminating the slip lane on Coventry Place as it turns right, or east, on Scott, thus making it safer for pedestrians crossing Scott.
- A hawk light crossing Clairmont at the Decatur YMCA (right at the city limits) although this is several months away.
