Every summer, as part of their yearly budgeting process, the Decatur City Commission authorizes the repair and repaving of certain local streets over the approaching fiscal year.
In 2023 that authorization included work on South McDonough Street, Adair Street, Coventry Road, West Dougherty Street, 3rd Avenue, and Glendale Avenue.
New this year were efforts to maximize the value of tax dollars spent by using some of the projects — S. McDonough, Adair, and Coventry — as an opportunity to also implement, test, and refine long-requested traffic calming interventions.
Here’s an update on the status of each of our six projects:
South McDonough Street
Paving is complete and a new pattern of striping has been applied. This application has reinforced the necessity to test and refine calming projects before moving on to permanent infrastructure, as the results — based on designs rooted in aerial photography rather than a physical survey — leave much to be desired.
The original plan for S. McDonough was a two-phased approach. First, repave the street and add new striping to introduce and test planned calming infrastructure to then be installed during Phase 2. As completed, however, the current striping reveals only that further refinement is necessary.
In response, the city is moving forward with “Phase 1A” to correct the deficiencies. The physical land survey, originally intended as part of Phase 2, will be expedited. The current striping will be scraped and new striping more closely mirroring future curbs and other infrastructure will be installed for proof of concept.
This work is expected to commence later this Spring.
Adair Street
Work on Adair Street is largely complete, with just minor punch list items — like additional or modified striping — remaining.
Coventry Road
The last of this project’s concrete work is currently in progress and expected to conclude shortly, with just minor punch list items still to go. Striping is in place, marking lanes and parking as they will exist for the foreseeable future. Additional opportunities for public input will take place prior to full design and construction of painted features.
One addition likely unfamiliar to most residents will be the use of MMA paint in certain areas — a dark green application testing the design feasibility of future landscaping by indicating where a more permanent installation might go.
Based on community input received during the traffic calming project, the City is also working with GDOT to push forward safety improvements at the intersection of Coventry with State Route 8/Scott Blvd. Further news on that effort will be forthcoming as details emerge.
West Dougherty Street
This project is largely complete. Only new signage remains.
3rd Avenue
Repaving is complete, leaving only striping and signage.
Glendale Avenue
Repaving complete. Signage being updated to align with current standards.
A Friendly Reminder
There’s no denying that roadwork can be disruptive and frustrating and that new striping and other measures may require motorists to exercise care in navigating these unfamiliar patterns. Please keep in mind that the crews doing the work are there at our behest and deserve respect and consideration as you move through construction areas.