[LCN Newscast] McLendon Ave Update, Aug 25

[newscast@lists.lakeclaire.org]

Here is the latest exciting installment
in the ongoing saga of McLendon Ave. . . .

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McLendon Avenue Update
Ryan Gesser, Mclendon Avenue Improvements Liaison
August 25, 2004

After much collaboration between Lake Claire Neighbors, the
Atlanta Bicycle Campaign, interested residents, Councilwoman
Natalyn Archibong, and the City of Atlanta's Public Works
department, the McLendon Avenue construction project will be
coming to an end during the month of September.  Over the next
month, Lake Claire residents will see the bulbout construction
finished at the size of 7 feet (instead of 10 feet) in our
neighborhood, intersection realignment at
Lakeshore/Claire/Southerland, and the construction of a
roundabout at Howard Circle.  The surface will be repaved, bold
striping will delineate travel lanes, crosswalks, and parking
areas, and new signage will alert motorists to changes in the
traffic flow.  Improvements along McLendon Avenue in Candler Park
will also be completed in the next few weeks.

In Lake Claire, the focus of traffic calming is at McLendon's
intersections with Lakeshore/Claire/Southerland and Howard
Circle.  At Lakeshore/Claire/Southerland, the intersection will
be realigned with an island and bold lane striping on Southerland
to clearly define the turn lanes available to motorists who may
turn right (eastbound) on McLendon, proceed straight onto
Lakeshore or Claire, or turn left (westbound) on McLendon.  The
island on Southerland will serve as a refuge to pedestrians who
currently have to cross the entire width of the roadway.  The
lane markings will constrict traffic flow and slow eastbound
McLendon traffic that tends not to slow down when bearing right
onto Southerland.

The Howard Circle roundabout is sure to be the most significant
aspect of the construction project on McLendon in Lake Claire.
Some residents have expressed concerns about the effectiveness of
such a traffic control measure, but the City has provided
assurances that the roundabout is a proven method for the type of
intersection and traffic flow that is found at McLendon/Howard.
Additionally, the new intersection design and sidewalk will
provide needed refuge for pedestrians that presently have to
cross a very wide path of travel on either McLendon or Howard.
The lane widths will be narrowed to slow traffic flow, but will
still allow passage of City service and emergency vehicles, MARTA
buses, and bicyclists who follow the Atlanta-Stone Mountain PATH
from McLendon onto Howard.

The key to navigating the new roundabout is to remember that all
vehicles must yield right of way to vehicles already in the
roundabout, then proceed to the right around the roundabout to
reach the desired travel lane.  This traffic pattern will most
significantly affect westbound traffic (toward Little 5 Points),
which previously could travel unimpeded on McLendon, but will now
need to slow to at least a yield (if not a full stop), then
proceed around the roundabout to continue westbound travel.
Motorists who previously turned left from Howard onto westbound
McLendon will now follow the roundabout to the right until
reaching the westbound travel lane.

The City has assured Lake Claire that the intersection and travel
lanes will be boldly marked with striping, lane markings, and
signage to clearly indicate the proper traffic flow.  An article
entitled "Modern Roundabouts" accompanies this update to further
describe the operation and effectiveness of this traffic control
measure.  The City's Quality of Life Bond Program will also
independently promote awareness of the new intersection to
residents of Lake Claire and surrounding neighborhoods who travel
McLendon Avenue on a regular basis.  More information can be
obtained from the City's Public Works website at
http://www.atlantaga.gov/Government/PublicWorks.aspx or by
contacting Ms. Valerie Bell-Smith at 404-330-6215 or
VBell-Smith@atlantaga.gov .

The City has also responded favorably to several residents' 
interests in traffic calming on Howard Circle and DeKalb Place,
which is often used as a "cut-through" from DeKalb Avenue and
Kirkwood and now the 123 MARTA bus route.  To address these
concerns, the City has committed to evaluating traffic patterns
along this route to determine what measures would most
effectively calm traffic along this narrow roadway.

Throughout the entire McLendon project, many residents have
expressed an interest in being involved in landscaping of the
bulbouts and new intersections.  As part of the construction
plan, a professional landscaper designed plantings that will be
both aesthetically pleasing, functional, and unobtrusive and
compliant with codes for lines-of-sight.  The City modified the
original bulbout design to maximize planting space with respect
to these objectives.  In both Lake Claire and Candler Park, the
City will provide topsoil and a liriope groundcover, and Trees
Atlanta will be installing small trees.  Candler Park is having
an "adopt a bulbout" program for residents to enhance certain
planting areas, and a similar program may be coordinated in Lake
Claire through the Garden Club.  Additional plantings will need
to be coordinated with the City to make sure they conform to
general specifications and will not compromise the functionality
and safety of the planting areas, bulbouts, and intersections.

Most Lake Claire residents travel on McLendon through Candler
Park and are interested in how that neighborhood's portion of the
project will be completed.  Candler Park elected to preserve the
10-foot bulbouts for traffic calming so that the remaining
construction work is limited to the traffic signal at Candler
Park Drive (the median and light poles for which have already
been erected) and the Clifton Road intersection.  At the Clifton
business district, the sidewalks around the shops will be
expanded to provide more pedestrian refuge and slow traffic
through this busy intersection.  Parking areas will be clearly
marked and plantings will enhance the walkability of the area.
The entire length of McLendon in Candler Park will also be
resurfaced, restriped, and marked with signage to alert motorists
to the new traffic calming measures.  These improvements are also
expected to be completed over the next month.

As the project draws to a close over the next few weeks, please
continue to exercise patience and vigilance during construction
and after the project is completed.  Though it has at times been
challenging to envision how the streetscape will look, feel, and
function upon completion of the project, I am confident that Lake
Claire's objectives will soon be met for a safer, more pleasant
McLendon Avenue that is more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly.
In the meantime, please continue to contact Ryan Gesser, Lake
Claire's McLendon Avenue Liaison, at mclendon@lakeclaire.org .


Modern Roundabouts

A modern roundabout will be built at the intersection of Howard
Circle and McLendon Avenue as part of the McLendon Avenue Traffic
Calming Project. A modern roundabout is a traffic-control method
that allows vehicles from separate streets to merge and proceed
to destinations without the need for stop signs or traffic
signals. Modern roundabouts use yield signs to control traffic
with entering vehicles yielding to circulating traffic within the
roundabout.

Roundabouts are one of the most effective intersection control
treatments available with the added benefit of calming traffic.
They limit vehicle speeds to approximately 20 mph and can control
vehicle speeds on up to four streets simultaneously. Roundabouts
typically reduce crashes by 40-60 percent, reduce injury by 35-80
percent and almost completely eliminate incapacitating injury and
fatal crashes.  Community gateways and main streets are effective
locations for roundabouts as they slow traffic and provide space
for an aesthetically pleasing entrance treatment. In addition to
the beauty they can provide if landscaped well, roundabouts slow
traffic and help pedestrians cross the street.

Roundabout Crash Reduction

Despite large numbers of drivers who have not driven roundabouts
previously, these intersections work well and do not confuse
motorists. Proper use of signing and road striping at roundabouts
assists motorists and minimizes the potential for confusion.

The Howard Circle Roundabout will consist of yield signage on the
pavement and at the street intersections.  This project will also
include new sidewalks, street resurfacing, and landscaping.