Clairmont Heights Civic Association

Notes courtesy of Kathryn Firago of MANA. Notes from the first meeting were posted here earlier.

Traffic meeting minutes from 7/16/08

John Maynard began the meeting with an overview of why we need a traffic plan to prepare for the increased building in and around our neighborhood that will be affecting us very soon, if not already.

He explained the perimeter control approach that was nicely encapsulated by Jim Alexander and sent to me after the meeting. It is as follows:

Morning traffic control:

For traffic along Lawrenceville Highway, Scott Boulevard, & North Decatur Road:
• No right turn, 6:00-9:00 am, RESIDENTS EXCEPTED, from Scott Boulevard onto 1) Harrington Drive, 2) Woodridge Road, 3) Larry Lane, 4) Blackmon Road, and 5) Medlock Road.
• No right turn, 6:00-9:00 am, RESIDENTS EXCEPTED, from N. Decatur Road onto, 6) Sunstede Road, 7) Suzanne Drive, 8) Wendan Road, 9)Willivee Drive, 10) N. Superior Avenue, 11) Clairmont Circle, and 12) Webster Drive.

For traffic along North Druid Hills Road:
• No left turn, 6:00-9:00 am, RESIDENTS EXCEPTED, from North Druid Hills Road onto 13) North Hills Drive and 14) Willivee Drive.

Afternoon traffic control:

For traffic heading south on Clairmont Road:

• No left turn, 4:00-7:00 pm, RESIDENTS EXCEPTED, from Clairmont Road onto Desmond Drive, OR
• Resident traffic only, all hours (?), Desmond Drive & Webster Road (posted on Desmond Drive at Webster Road).
• No left turn, 4:00-7:00 pm, RESIDENTS EXCEPTED, from Clairmont Road onto Clairmont Circle, OR
• Resident traffic only, all hours (?), Clairmont Circle (posted on Clairmont Circle at Clairmont Road).

Traffic safety:
• No left turn, all hours, residents included, from Desmond Drive onto Clairmont Road.
• No left turn, 4:00-7:00 pm, residents included, from N. Decatur Road onto N. Superior Avenue.

There was also a suggestion to have No left turn, including residents, from Blackmon Road onto Lawrenceville Highway.

This is all predicated on getting resident exception to most of the suggested traffic control ideas. We are hopeful to do this at no cost to the neighbors. Initially we thought that when these traffic controls went into effect, police could stop cars that were not registered in DeKalb County and properly licensed for the county. It was mentioned that there could be problems with cars registered in other states that belong to residents who travel extensively outside Georgia or who are living in the Medlock area or CHCA, temporarily as students, physicians or short-term contracted professors.

At worst, we may need to get stickers for residents to have in their cars to differentiate them from cut-thru traffickers.
John Maynord suggested that we follow through with ordinance and sticker ideas to cover that area in case the DeKalb county license idea doesn’t go over with the county.

We will ask the commissioners to review No parking areas on Desmond/Clairmont Circle.

A North Decatur Road resident had a question as to whether she would be considered a resident as she lives on the opposite side of N. Decatur from the neighborhoods in question. This point was not finalized. Could those residents be exempted?

Can we pursue signage on Clairmont and avoid state involvement, as that is a state road? I believe John Gurbal (Dept. of Transportation representative) will investigate this.

We discussed the Emory Clairmont campus parking lot and deck and solutions to the increased traffic that will ensue because of the larger deck. It was suggested that a right turn from Starvine Way, exiting the Clairmont campus be forced to stay in the right lane on Clairmont until Desmond was passed. This could be accomplished with a low jersey wall in the middle of Clairmont. It was mentioned that this would impact negatively on the residents of our neighborhood who work there.

A question was raised regarding traffic calming on Desmond and getting speed humps. The calming measures took 18 months and lots of door-to-door canvassing to accomplish.

It was suggested that we have every sign say Local Traffic only at all times.

Blackmon resident wanted residents excepted from the No Left Turn off Blackmon. Another Blackmon resident was against anyone turning left there. This same resident mentioned an inability to leave her driveway because of thru-traffic blocking her in at certain times of the day.

John Maynard expressed a wish to meet again in 45 days. He asked that folks get suggestions to him on the proposal presented in two weeks.

If we need to get stickers for the neighborhood, we will need to write the policy and get it passed.

John Gurbal addressed the No left turn issue on Clairmont and said that he had noticed other areas of No left turns on Clairmont so that may be something that could be worked out for us. He suggested raised turtles on Desmond that would force a right out of Desmond and a right into Desmond. Responding to the suggestion of barriers, he said that Georgia Department of Transportation wants to achieve and maintain capacity and keep thru lanes to this end. He said he did not know why Desmond was realigned. Perhaps it was a safety issue for the residents? He said he would chat with DOT about a light at Desmond although he believes it is too close to an already existent light and DOT may not allow another one so close. There must be 1000 feet between signals on state roads. He said that striping may help and will approach the DOT on that issue also. One resident complained of drivers on Desmond going all the way around stopped traffic at Desmond and Clairmont to turn left on Webster. Double yellow lines may discourage that, or they may not…. Again we discussed the length of the light at Medlock and N. Decatur Road. There is some feeling that the brevity of the light discourages cut-thru traffic at that intersection. However, John did say he would try to seek some seconds for us.

A resident mentioned the idea of a Michigan left, which does not allow a left turn at a light, but permits a U-turn after going through the light.

Powell was mentioned as a decent street to use as a cut-thru.

The representative from Emory, Adele Clements, addressed issues raised by neighbors. One resident complained of students not using crosswalks. Adele is working with Emory’s Student Government and their police department to exert peer pressure to be safe and respect others. A resident applauded Emory’s attempts to do the right thing for the neighborhood and its attempts to be aware of its impact on the surrounding areas. Emory will have to do further studies with the state to determine true impact the new deck will have on our neighborhood and nearby intersections. She will also be involved in dialogue with GDOT. She mentioned that the Cliff buses take 3000 cars off the road. Jim Smith, a resident, suggested a partnership with the North DeKalb Mall, Northlake Mall and South DeKalb Mall owners to assure Cliff bus access there.

A resident suggested that pedestrian traffic be improved on Clairmont. Adele responded asking for a show of hands for an overpass. There was some support for that idea. Another resident said that the sidewalks “stink” on Clairmont. The response was that there would be every effort to make Clairmont pedestrian-friendly. A resident questioned her about traffic planning around Druid Hills High School and N. Decatur Road access and egress there. The response was that there is a vision, but nothing specific as of yet to move parking away from Haygood and gain safer entry to Druid Hills High School. There is no time line yet.