Loring Heights Neighborhood wants DOT's Deering Road Project Delayed

At Thursday night's meeting, a discussion is expected to take place about conflicting GDOT projects - one in North Midtown and one in Buckhead - as well as attempts to coordinate and mitigate negative impacts from the construction process on the council's neighborhoods.

The specific projects expected to conflict are the Deering Road and projects. GDOT intends to replace the Amtrak station parking lot in North Midtown and will close Deering at Peachtree Road to do such. Last fall, the Midtown-based Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation placed the station on its 2012 list of 10 Places in Peril in the state.

In a memo sent by Loring Heights Neighborhood Association President Ron Grunwald to the BCN, he outlines specifics for each project, how they are expected to conflict and action he hopes the BCN will take: 

GDOT is letting and scheduling a summer start for the following projects:

• Closing Deering at Peachtree Road causing a 4-6 month detour through Brookwood, Ardmore, Collier Hills and possibly affecting neighborhoods along Peachtree Battle.
• Conversion of reversible lane between I-75 and Collier on Northside to a southbound lane.
• Addition of left and right turns from Northside to Collier eastbound.
• Northside, north of Collier - transformation of reversible lane to left turn lanes.
• Sidewalks on Northside north to Peachtree Creek
• Signal upgrades and ADA ramps at Collier/Northside and other intersection.
• Replace 20 inch water main line with 36 inch line from i-75 to Northside Parkway necessitating the closure of at least one travel lane.

The plan has not been revised since December 2011 before the Northside projects were considered to be scheduled.  The impact is that the detour route considered and planned for the Deering closing routes traffic to the Collier/Northside corridor - this creates a potential conflict and we are seeking that GDOT reschedule the Deering projects by 6-9 months to let construction progress throughout Collier Road and Northside intersection to allow the detour route to operate properly. 

"We have been continually rebuffed at these efforts," Grunwald said.

 Grunwald is seeking support from the BCN to:

• Approve a collective letter that demands this rescheduling from GDOT and the City.
• Prior to detour, 17th Street traffic signals will be coordinated to allow for better flow of traffic through Atlantic Station development to encourage short and long term east-west flow through this major collector.

BCN (generally) meets on the second Thursday of every month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Room 2315 at Peachtree Presbyterian Church 
3434 Roswell Road.