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The City of Smyrn will be holding a Public Information Open House – May 19, 2009 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Public Information Open House will cover the proposed median and traffic signals on Windy Hill Road from Old Spring Road to Atlanta Road will be held at the Smyrna Community Center located at (200 Village Green Circle, in Room 1). The purpose of the open house is to afford the public an opportunity to ask questions and to provide input during the early development stages of the project.

[where: 30080]

A Cobb County project to replace a 50-year-old railroad bridge on North Church Lane and build sidewalks on Atlanta Road and North Church Lane begins next month.

The County Commission week approved a $1.8 million contract for the bridge which should take eight months to complete.

About 700 feet of sidewalk will be built south of Atlanta Road near the Old Atlanta Station subdivision, and 325 feet on the north side. Another 650 feet of sidewalk will be built on the east side of North Church Lane from Bridle Wood Drive to the CSX Railroad line.

The new sidewalks will be a great benefit in connecting Old Atlanta Station, Chadsworth, Westbury at Vinings and Longleaf in Vinings to the restaurants and shops along Atlanta Road, creating a much more pedestrian friendly atmosphere.

Technorati Tags: Old Atlanta Station, Chadsworth, Westbury at Vinings, Longleaf in Vinings

[where: 30080]

Is the Concord Covered Bridge in Smyrna in danger? Dozens of Concord Road residents are concerned that this may be the long-term impact of Georgia Department of Transportation’s plan to replace the one lane bridge that leads to the covered bridge with a two-lane bridge.

Georgia Department of Transportation officials said the one-lane bridge over the Silver Comet Trail got a sufficiency rating of 14 out of 100 at its most recent inspection, on Aug. 2.

The state DOT says repairing the bridge, which is on Concord Road between the East-West Connector, and the historic covered bridge will cost about $1 million. Because the sufficiency rating is below 50, the project qualifies for federal financing. In order to get the funding, the project would have to adhere to federal transportation rules requiring two-lane bridges for two-lane roadways.

At a public forum Thursday night, residents said they fear widening the bridge will bring more traffic accidents and endanger the nearby historic covered bridge.

The GDOT plan is to replace the 12-foot-wide wood bridge with a 34-foot-wide bridge with historical features such as one built across the East-West Connector on Concord Road. The project is expected to go out to bid in June.

Cobb Commissioners Joe Lee Thompson and Annette Kesting attended Thursday’s forum. Thompson said he would like to talk with the other members of the Board of Commissioners and the Cobb Department of Transportation to see if the county can take over the project – and pay for it – to keep it one-lane.

Cobb Department of Transportation Director David Montanye and Mike Lobdell, project manager for GDOT, said neither of their agencies have any plans to widen Concord Road to a four-lane road, eliminating the covered bridge.

Jeff Carr, GDOT historian, said it would be “nearly impossible” to replace the covered bridge because of all the state and federal agencies that would be need to sign off on the project. The bridge is included on the National Registry of Historical Places.

Despite these items, the local residents are still concerned about the covered bridge and the impact to the area’s history.

The GDOT is accepting comments about the project on the GDOT website until March 20.

To see the original article in its entirety, please visit Marietta Daily Journal’s site.

Technorati Tags: Concord Covered Bridge, Smyrna Vinings Bridges, Cobb County Transportation

revive285 top end

It’s time to revive285 top end!

When first opened in 1969, I-285 was designed to serve as a bypass for Atlanta. Over the years, it has evolved into a main artery. One of the busiest portions of I-285 is the top end between I-75 and I-85, which now struggles to support up to 250,000 vehicles each day. With continued growth and an already frustrated public, the problems will only get worse.

revive285 top end is an innovative approach by the Georgia Department of Transportation in conjunction with the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority aimed at developing a comprehensive solution for the vital top end corridor.

revive285 top end will:

1. Assess previously planned and programmed projects to determine how they fit into the larger transportation needs of the entire corridor.
2. Determine the most effective strategy for project implementation.
3. Assess and document environmental impacts for the entire corridor, which will provide a framework for concept development.
4. Inform and involve the public at key decision-making points and throughout the project.
   

The revive285 top end purpose is to:

• Better manage and improve traffic congestion
• Improve mobility options for the traveling public
• Maintain and improve system linkages
• Provide safter travel conditions on the corridor

How can you stay involved?

The revive285 top end project team will continue to conduct public involvement activities throughout the project. Anticipated activities include:

• Public meetings
• Stakeholder interviews
• Small working groups
• Traveler Surveys
• On-line Surveys

To learn more, check out revive285 top end website, take an online survey and sign up for the mailing list to stay informed of the latest updates, meetings, etc.

Following are some of the planned projects: