Decatur’s about to initiate a 10-month itinerary of community input sessions for updating its transportation plan. Though it appears many current residents didn’t know, or forgot about it, there was an original transportation plan approved by city commissioners in 2007.
The evidence lies on the city’s roadways, which look significantly different than they did over decade ago. Sidewalks are wider (the city eventually wants a sidewalk on at least one side of every city street), roads narrower and in some cases automobile speeds are slower. Lanes have been set aside for bicycles or, in the North McDonough Road project that finishes next month, a separate cycle track is under construction.
During an interview with the AJC last December, longtime City Manager Peggy Merriss stated that this has become a primary passion in recent years. She’s interested not only in more balance between vehicular traffic, walking and bicycling, but also in reducing what she describes as “the negative health impact of automobiles.”
But Decatur’s approach to automobile traffic recently drew the ire from folks both inside and outside the city.
In an April AJC columnist Bill Torpy wrote, “an equally important part of that vision is to keep other people from driving through their city. It’s a common desire — residents of communities, neighborhoods and cities don’t like nonresidents driving through their communities, neighborhoods and cities.”
During a May meeting commissioners listened to an hour of public comment, many against the Commerce Drive cycle track/lane reduction, whose construction begins this fall. There was also a petition with about 400 signatures opposing the project. Further, many claimed they had never even heard of this scheme until recently.
Commerce Drive is the first phase of a connectivity plan — a joint venture between the PATH Foundation and Decatur—that will take about 10 years to finish. Eventually it will feature seven separate bike paths and trails throughout the city totaling nine miles, a project evolving directly out of the 2007 transportation plan.
We’d like to know where you stand in the middle of all this congestion. If you live in the city will you participate in the community input sessions? What suggestions will you offer? Do community input sessions even matter? And if you don’t live in Decatur, does its traffic keep you away altogether?
Send comments to communitynews@ajc.com. Responses may be edited for length and/or clarity and may be published online and/or in print.
LAST WEEK: SHOULD LEGISLATOR BE COMPELLED TO ADD SIGNATURE TO MLK PLAQUE?
State Rep. Tommy Benton (R-Jefferson) doesn’t want his name included on a plaque that will accompany a statue of King that will soon be unveiled at the state capitol. Benton has shared long-held views about the Civil War, the KKK and other race-related subjects. But some say this issue is about more than the one man’s wishes. They say that he represents a constituency and they won’t be represented without his name on the plaque.
We asked readers what they thought about.
Here’s what some had to say:
“I want everybody name who was associated with the statue on the statue. In the spirit of Dr. King we want it,” said SCLC President and CEO Charles Steele. “If he believes, to any degree, in the upward mobility of what he is supposed to represent, he would want his name on there. But if you don’t believe in freedom and justice, we don’t want you.”
On the opposite side is a member of organization charged with keeping the memory of the Confederacy alive.
Grady Vickery, a member of Sons of Confederate Veterans in Dawsonville said he does not personally know Benton, but says Benton has every right to remove his name from a statue honoring King. Vickery also supports statements Benton has made that the Civil War was not started over slavery.
What should be done? Does it matter if Benton’s name is left off the plaque? Or is that a misrepresentation of history? Since he was against the statue in the first place, is it O.K. for him to abstain from participation? Or must he be a part of the project so that it reflects his constituents?
I think it’s great that State Rep Tom Benton wants to leave his name off the statue honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.
After all, why should he get credit for something he opposes ?
I look forward to him also leaving his name off a few other things, such as further silly legislative initiatives &, we may hope, further ballots for re-election. — Darryl Weaver
When are the people going to be allowed to VOTE on this issue. Let the people have a say.
I resent not having an Italian-American day. My grandparents came here as poor as any other refugees. They helped build this country too.
Oh, what about the Irish? The first REAL slaves of this country.
Oh, how about WHO brought those “Slaves” to this country to SELL. OH, THEIR OWN PEOPLE.
I’m just tired of the TRUE HISTORY being thrown away.
Oh, where's my Italian flag corner, Irish, Polish, etc., when do we get a say? — Michele Barnes
I had been a lobbyist off and on for 20 years at the Georgia Legislature and always liked Rep. Tommy Benton, but disagreed with his views. The overwhelming characteristic of statues and plaques is their permanency and, for that reason alone, Benton’s wish not to have his name inscribed upon it, arguably small-minded, probably should be honored.
But there's a more important reason: Not to have this fitting tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. possibly sullied from the get-go for decades by a petty controversy. Here's one suggestion for alternative wording: "Persons living in parts of Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties." — Ronald P. Jayson
Pamela Miller for the AJC
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