Decatur submitted a wish list of transportation projets recently during a rare joint work session among city commissioners, staffers and Georgia Department of Transportation officials.
First on the list is traffic calming on Scott Boulevard, including the possibility of reducing the 40 mph speed limit, fastest in the city.
GDOT District Engineer Kathy Zahul announced the state is planning to paint wider outer edge lines on both sides of Scott sometime before next winter. This doesn’t actually narrow the road, she said, “but makes it feel like the lane narrows.”
While admitting this move appears minimal, Assistant City Manager David Junger said, “We do agree those outer lines are effective. It’s a good solution and it’s a beginning.”
Junger said he has a petition signed by about 1,200 residents representing roughly 20 percent of the city’s households asking for increased safety measures on Scott.
Zahul responded that GDOT has an “incremental plan” for Scott, although for now reducing the speed limit isn’t included. The city and GDOT have discussed erecting median islands at fixed intervals.
“The truth is, Scott is dangerous and most of it [within Decatur] is residential,” said Commissioner Tony Powers. “I’ve seen it for 30 years. At one time or another everybody in my family has been hit on Scott.”
