Avondale Wants to Upgrade Sidewalks, Crossings

If voters approve a regional sales tax for transportation projects in 2012, Avondale Estates would like to use its share of the money to make life easier for pedestrians along Highway 278.

The city recently submitted a wish list of projects that would be funded by a proposed 1-cent sales tax, as did all the other local governments in the Atlanta area.

Avondale wants to:

• Fill in sidewalk gaps along Highway 278 between the Avondale Marta Station and downtown and improve the existing sidewalk. Large stretches of the road don’t have any sidewalk. These gaps would be filled and buffering between pedestrian and motorists would be improved. The design would cost about $15,000. Construction would cost about $95 per linear foot – at least $190,000. The sidewalk would connect to sidewalks maintained by Decatur and DeKalb County. Avondale says this project would make walking safer and encourage people to use mass transit and get them out of cars.
• Create or improve seven pedestrian crossings along Highway 278, also known as North Avondale Road, College Avenue and Covington Highway at different places. The crossings would have pedestrian signs, ADA compliant ramps, LED signals and upgraded striping and painting. The city expects the design and right-of-way acquisition to cost about $25,000. The cost of the work would depend on the design.
• Improve the intersection in the heart of town, at North Clarendon Road and Highway 278. Improved visibility and striping would be incorporated. This intersection connects the residential and commercial sections of town and needs special emphasis. The design has already been completed. The construction is estimated to cost $150,000.

The 10 counties in the Atlanta region are scheduled to vote in 2012 on a referendum that would levy a penny sales tax across the region to pay for the transportation improvements. In the Atlanta region, the tax could raise about $8 billion over 10 years. Projects need to meet the criteria of being of regional importance.