Major Hammond Drive makeover design unsettling to some

Hammond Drive is primed for a makeover. Sandy Springs has purchased residential properties and small parcels of land along a narrow corridor for a $60 million transformation intended to relieve weekday traffic backups.

An average of 17,500 vehicles pass through Hammond Drive daily. During weekday rush hours, traffic comes to a standstill. However, after seeing new design proposals, some residents foresee the neighboring side streets becoming a short-cut for motorists.

With appropriate funding, construction should begin in 2025, said Allen Johnson, TSPLOST Program Manager for Sandy Springs. A total of $14.4 million is dedicated to the project from the special purpose sales tax, which was approved in 2016. The remainder of the funding to complete the plan might come from a second TSPLOST in either Fulton County or Sandy Springs.

Nearly 200 people attended open house presentations on the Hammond Drive improvements at City Hall on Wednesday.

“Part of the reasons for these meeting is to get that public input,” said Councilman Chris Burnett. “Are we hearing concerns and evaluating, ‘Is this the best possible design that we can put together? Is it going to have the deisired result.’”

If designs are developed according to the current plan, Hammond Drive between Roswell Road and Glenridge Drive will bear no resemblance to what it is today. Changes would impact nine side streets. The concept widens Hammond adding a lane in each direction. In addition, there will be more turn lanes at Roswell Road and Glenridge Drive, and sidewalks and greenspace will be installed.

The most controversial topics at the open house were planned roundabouts at Hilderbrand Drive and Lorell Terrace; and a pedestrian underpass with multi-use paths at Kayron Drive.

“The roundabouts are intended to slow traffic,” said Johnson.

The designs are based on residents’ comments at neighborhood meetings and open houses.

Ellen Collins disagrees with the city’s decision to add roundabouts. She and other attendees are certain traffic will simply overflow onto the side streets.

“A roundabout funnels traffic onto roads that might not be used today,” said Collins, a 25-year resident. “I don’t want it coming on Lorell.

Residents on Kayron would be impacted in other ways. Motorists would no longer have access to Hammond due to the new multi-use path. Ben Hendry lives near the corner of the Hammond intersection. Current plans indicate Sandy Springs would want to buy his property to make way for the pedestrian pathway. The city plans to purchase a total of 80 parcels along Hammond and other side streets before construction starts.

“My wife and I bought there 16 years ago,” said Hendry, a local teacher. “We’re raising our kids there. I walk and bike to work and she works from home. So, we’re concerned that if we need to move, can we get enough value for our property for a comparable home in Sandy Springs?”