North Buckhead Civic Association Recommendations For Wieuca Road October 7, 2009
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Table of Contents 1. BACKGROUND 4 2. TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND ALL WAY STOPS 5 3. SPEED LIMITS AND SPEED ENFORCEMENT 7 4. SIDEWALKS 8 5. CROSSWALKS 11 6. OTHER SCHOOL SAFETY AND TRAFFIC CALMING CHANGES 13 7. DECISION FOR SUPPORT OF STUDENT PEDESTRIANS AT LORIDANS DRIVE 14 8. SUMMARY AND PRIORITY 15 Related Documents EXHIBIT A. NBCA Traffic Committee Student Pedestrian Analysis, 8/28/09. This document identifies the student population living within one mile of the school and contains maps showing their walking path to the school under several different scenarios. EXHIBIT B. NBCA Wieuca Road Survey, 9/27/09. This 130-page report analyzes 336 resident responses to survey questions about Wieuca Road. The report documents substantial neighborhood support for a number of improvements along the road needed to provide safe use of the new school campus. Note: Referenced exhibits are available on-line at www.nbca.org/wieuca_survey. IMPORTANT NOTE In this report, items needed for safe initial school operation, including sufficient speed calming, are shown in this shade of dark red. Page 3 of 16
1. BACKGROUND Wieuca Road is a 2 mile road, generally running in a SSE NNW direction with significant curves and some hills. Alternative routes are Roswell Road and Peachtree Dunwoody Road. All intersections are 3 way. No traffic signals or stop signs currently exist in the two mile stretch between Roswell Road and Phipps Boulevard. The road between Phipps Boulevard and Roswell Road is entirely residential (single family and low rise condominiums) except for several hundred feet near Roswell Road. The campus is close to GA 400 but there are no ramps in this area. Traffic volumes are heavy since Wieuca is a cut through for business traffic and is the preferred street for many area North Buckhead residents who commute to and from the neighborhood. No MARTA service is in place on Wieuca Road. The campus area is situated in a curvy part of Wieuca Road and sight distances are limited. Traffic speeds in the campus area are problematic and effective enforcement is required. Wieuca Road (green highlight) and important intersecting streets. Page 4 of 16
2. TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND ALL WAY STOPS Overall Traffic Flow Plan for Wieuca Campus Area #1 & #2: Synchronized traffic signals on Wieuca at Whittington Drive and at Ivy Road. ALTERNATIVE #A: In lieu of Needs #1 and #2, buy right of way for dedicated left turn lane on southeast bound Wieuca Road and install a single pedestrian traffic signal and crosswalks at the school driveway. This alternative would also require a railing along the sidewalk on the west side of Wieuca Road because of steep terrain. The new school s driveway is quite long and traffic backups into Wieuca Road due to insufficient stacking space on the driveway should be uncommon. We understand a decision has been made by the City not to buy additional property that a dedicated turn lane would require. So traffic will not be able to turn left into the new school s driveway; otherwise Wieuca would be routinely blocked by left turning school traffic. Accordingly, traffic needing to reach the school from the northwest must loop around so they can approach the school from the southeast. The loop will involve a right turn at Whittington Drive, a left turn at a stop sign onto Ivy Road. Because of the limited sight distances at the Wieuca/Ivy intersection, a traffic signal will be required. The signal should be triggered by traffic on Ivy Road and by pedestrian buttons and should be synchronized with a corresponding signal at Whittington. Once traffic leaves the school, it will turn right only during high traffic hours since no signal will be located at the driveway. So, traffic needing to travel southeast on Wieuca will also need to loop on Whittington to Ivy to Wieuca. In order turn left from Wieuca onto Whittington, the traffic signal mentioned above will be required. The Whittington signal should also be pedestrian actuated. Without this pair of synchronized traffic signals, pedestrian traffic will not be safe and vehicle traffic will be gridlocked. Flow into the campus requires pedestrian/traffic-actuated signals Flow out of new campus requires pedestrian/traffic-actuated signals Page 5 of 16
Pedestrian/vehicle needs at Loridans Drive #3: Vehicle and pedestrian actuated traffic signal on Wieuca at Loridans. Traffic flow at Wieuca and Loridans is problematic. Traffic accidents are fairly frequent, though seldom serious. The flow on Wieuca is much heavier than on Loridans, so a traffic signal is preferred over an all way stop. Pedestrians have no safe way to cross Wieuca since sight distance is limited in both directions and speeding is common. Pedestrian/vehicle needs at West Wieuca Road #4: 3 way stop signs at Wieuca and West Wieuca. Every afternoon, significant stacking of traffic occurs on southeast bound West Wieuca. There is limited pedestrian traffic today, but when the sidewalk is extended on the east side of Wieuca, pedestrians will need assistance. Consideration should be given to providing a yield sign for right turning West Wieuca bound traffic on westbound Wieuca. Page 6 of 16
3. SPEED LIMITS AND SPEED ENFORCEMENT Wieuca Road #5: Increase the speed limit from 25 MPH to 30 MPH on Wieuca Road from Peachtree Road to Roswell Road. The current speed limit is 25 MPH and speed enforcement is blocked by the GDOT. The GDOT will not permit radar enforcement of the speed limit since it believes the road s design speed is considerably higher. Since speeding is seen as a threat to the safety of pedestrians, especially student pedestrians, and is a nuisance to Wieuca Road residents. West Wieuca Road #6: Decrease the speed limit from 35 MPH to 30 MPH on West Wieuca Road from Wieuca Road to Roswell Road. The current speed limit is 35 MPH. This is the only non urban surface street internal to North Buckhead that has a limit that high. Since it leads from Roswell to Wieuca, it sets expectations that speed limits will stay high and will undermine attempts to calm traffic. Speed limits for connecting roads in similar environments should be consistent. Page 7 of 16
4. SIDEWALKS Upgrade/repair existing sidewalks on west side of Wieuca Road. #7: Provide wide pedestrian assembly area along the street at the Wieuca Road/Whittington Drive intersection on a west corner adjacent to the crosswalk. A fence along Wieuca should be considered adjacent to assembly area. The assembly area is needed at Whittington Drive for students to assemble before crossing Wieuca Road when the signal changes. A fence should be considered to keep children from being shoved from the crowded area into the street. #8: Provide wide pedestrian assembly area along the street at the Wieuca Road/Ivy Road intersection on a west corner adjacent to the crosswalk. A fence along Wieuca should be considered adjacent to assembly area. The assembly area is needed at Ivy Road for students to assemble before crossing Wieuca Road when the signal changes. A fence should be considered to keep children from being shoved from the crowded area into the street. #9: Provide safe pedestrian passage on west side of Wieuca Road at Little Nancy Creek (between Mountain Way and Loridans Drive). This improvement is necessary for many students to be able to walk to school. Options: pedestrian bridge or barrier on street to protect pedestrians. A specific solution must be found for a safe pedestrian path crossing over Little Nancy Creek on the west side of Wieuca Road in the area just north of the Mountain Way intersection. Currently, pedestrians have no sidewalk at the creek and must walk in the street with vehicles moving by just inches away. This is unacceptable, especially for young children. This is a path a number of students identified in Exhibit A (NBCA Traffic Committee Student Pedestrian Analysis) will need to follow. Bridge over Little Nancy Creek has NO sidewalk on west side VERY DANGEROUS! Page 8 of 16
#10: Provide safe pedestrian passage on west side of Wieuca Road at Nancy Creek (between Wieuca Overlook and West Wieuca Road). Options: pedestrian bridge or barrier in street to protect pedestrians. A specific solution must be found for a safe pedestrian path crossing over Little Nancy Creek on the west side of Wieuca Road in the area just north of the Mountain Way intersection. Currently, pedestrians have no sidewalk at the creek and must walk in the street with vehicles moving by just inches away. This is unacceptable, especially for young children. This is a path a number of students identified in Exhibit A (NBCA Traffic Committee Student Pedestrian Analysis) will need to follow. Bridge over Nancy Creek has NO sidewalk. Dangerous for student pedestrians and wheelchairs. #11: Repair broken sidewalks on the west side of Wieuca Road from Phipps Boulevard to Roswell Road. (Several locations.) #12: Eliminate gaps where sidewalks have not been built on the west side of Wieuca Road. (Several locations.) #13: Much of the existing sidewalk on the west side of Wieuca Road has no 18 vegetated buffer strip. Install fences or safety barriers at the pavement on the west side of Wieuca Road between Herrington Drive and Whittington Drive and between GA 400 and Statewood Road. New sidewalks of east side of Wieuca Road #14: New sidewalk on east side of Wieuca Road from Wieuca Terrace to the Pinecrest Road alignment with at least 18 (preferably much wider) vegetated safety buffer. Existing sidewalks, including the segment between Statewood Road and GA 400, with no vegetated buffer or areas adjacent to leftbearing traffic (North Ivy Road area, Mountain Way to Loridans area) must have fence or safety barrier. (Please consider a solution that: i) provides space for pedestrians and bikes by narrowing Wieuca Road pavement, ii) combines existing bike lanes to off pavement, extra wide sidewalk/bike path, and iii) has a 5+ foot wide vegetated buffer with a vehicle barrier or fence.) See RED on map. #15: New sidewalk on east side of Wieuca Road from Phipps Boulevard to Wieuca Terrace and from West Wieuca Road to Roswell Road with at Page 9 of 16 Sidewalks needed on the east side of Wieuca
least 18 (preferably much wider) vegetated safety buffer. Existing sidewalks with no vegetated buffer must have fence or safety barrier. (Please consider a solution that: i) provides space for pedestrians and bikes by narrowing Wieuca Road pavement, ii) combines existing bike lanes to offpavement, extra wide sidewalk/bike path, and iii) has a 5+ foot wide vegetated buffer with a vehicle barrier or fence.) See BLUE on map. #16: Evaluate the feasibility of new sidewalks in the area with challenging topography on east side of Wieuca Road from Mountain Way to West Wieuca Road with at least 18 (preferably much wider) vegetated safety buffer. Existing sidewalks with no vegetated buffer must have fence or safety barrier. (Please consider a solution that: i) provides space for pedestrians and bikes by narrowing Wieuca Road pavement, ii) combines existing bike lanes to off pavement, extra wide sidewalk/bike path, and iii) has a 5+ foot wide vegetated buffer with a vehicle barrier or fence.) See GREEN on map. There is substantial neighborhood support that sidewalks should be erected on the east side of Wieuca Road as necessary to provide continuous sidewalks from Peachtree Road to Roswell Road. Expedited completion of sidewalks is required from Wieuca Terrace on the south to Loridans Drive on the north is needed to facilitate student access to the new school campus. Because of the proximity of the traffic moving along Wieuca Road, all sidewalks should include a wide vegetated strip and/or a fence of other barrier to increase the safety of pedestrians, especially young children. #17: Repair broken sidewalks on the east side of Wieuca Road from Phipps Boulevard to Roswell Road, especially around the GA 400 bridge. Page 10 of 16
5. CROSSWALKS Crosswalks needed on Wieuca Road for operation of the new campus: #18: Marked crosswalk across Wieuca Road at the northwest side of the Wieuca Road/Whittington Drive intersection. #19: Marked crosswalk across Wieuca Road at the southeast side of the Wieuca Road/Ivy Road intersection. These crosswalks are needed as part of the pedestrian flow for students walking to the new school campus. #20: Marked crosswalk (shown in black) across Wieuca Road at the northern side of the Wieuca Road/Loridans intersection. This crosswalk is needed for the school if sidewalks are not available from Loridans to the school on the east side of Wieuca Road. #21: Marked crosswalk (shown in green) across Loridans Drive at the eastern side of Wieuca Road at the Wieuca Road/Loridans intersection when sidewalks are built from Loridans to Mountain Way. This item should be implemented only with #16. These crosswalks are needed for the new school since a large number of students who may be denied bus service live on or off of Loridans Drive. Other students walk from Rickenbacker Way. Crosswalk needed on side street (Lakemoore Drive): #22: Marked crosswalk on Lakemoore Drive at Wieuca. This is a very difficult intersection and the pedestrians need the protection of a marked crosswalk. Page 11 of 16
Crosswalks needed for convenience of adult pedestrians and traffic calming: #23: Marked crosswalk at North Stratford Road. #24: Marked crosswalk at North Ivy Road. #25: Marked crosswalk at Pinecrest Road. #26: Marked crosswalk at West Wieuca Road. The installation of new painted crosswalks at the following Wieuca intersections: North Stratford Road (southern intersection), North Ivy Road, and Pinecrest Road. These crosswalks would be in areas of adequate sight distance in both directions and are needed as a traffic calming feature and adult pedestrian convenience, and are not needed by or intended for elementary school student pedestrians. Such crosswalks will convey to passing motorists that the area being traveled through is a neighborhood with enough pedestrians that caution is warranted. NBCA believes that these crosswalks will be extensively used by adult pedestrians, while not significantly impeding traffic flow. Being a readily visible traffic calming measure, these crosswalks will also help to alleviate the high levels of anxiety that exists among many citizens who live along Wieuca. These residents are concerned that while the City is increasing the speed limit to enable speed enforcement, the City is unwilling to take other reasonable and effective measures to calm traffic and average speeds will just go up. Page 12 of 16
6. OTHER SCHOOL SAFETY AND TRAFFIC CALMING CHANGES #27: Radar smart signs approaching school zone. #28: School zone signs #29: Update speed limit signs to show the revised speed limit. Please add Speed limit strictly enforced signs under signs at the perimeter of the neighborhood. Page 13 of 16
7. DECISION FOR SUPPORT OF STUDENT PEDESTRIANS AT LORIDANS DRIVE There is a choice which must be made. Referring to page 9 of 14 of Exhibit A, NBCA Traffic Committee Student Pedestrian Analysis, 8/28/09: This page shows that 18 student pedestrians seeking to get to the new campus may arrive at the east side of the Loridans Drive/Wieuca Road intersection and that 7.5 1 may arrive, mainly from Rickenbacker Way, at the west side of the Loridans Drive/Wieuca Road intersection. This totals to 25.5 students who have to come down one side of Wieuca or the other, between Loridans Drive and Mountain Way. Both sides are challenging. On the west side is the Little Nancy Creek bridge, which has no sidewalk and is unacceptably dangerous to pedestrian children this can be solved by performing item #9, described on page 6 of this report. If the pedestrian bridge or sidewalk is built on the west side of Wieuca, the 18 children arriving at Loridans would have to cross Wieuca to reach the school on the sidewalks on the west side of Wieuca Road. Note: This option is assumed in the prioritycolor coding of the following two pages. On the east side is a usable and safe sidewalk across the Little Nancy Creek bridge, but challenging terrain to build sidewalks this can be solved by performing the new sidewalks in #16 and the new crosswalk in #21. If these new sidewalks are built on the east side of Wieuca, the 7.5 children arriving on the west side of the Lordians intersection would cross Wieuca to the east side of the street and join the 18 children from the east side and walk down the new sidewalks. 1 How do you get half a student? These numbers are for the student population at Sarah Smith in the 2008/9 term, divided by two, since roughly half we be attending the new campus, half the old. Since this analysis deals with a typical year s attendance, the total population, an odd number, is divided by 2. Page 14 of 16
8. SUMMARY AND PRIORITY Important note: Items for safe initial school operation, including speed calming are shown below in dark red. TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND ALL WAY STOPS #1 & #2: Synchronized traffic signals on Wieuca at Whittington Drive and at Ivy Road. ALTERNATIVE #A: In lieu of #1 and #2, buy right of way for dedicated left turn lane on southeastbound Wieuca Road and install a single pedestrian traffic signal and crosswalks at the school driveway. This alternative would also require of a railing along the sidewalk on the west side of Wieuca Road because of steep terrain. #3: Vehicle and pedestrian actuated traffic signal on Wieuca at Loridans. #4: 3 way stop signs at Wieuca and West Wieuca. SPEED LIMITS AND SPEED ENFORCEMENT #5: Increase the speed limit from 25 MPH to 30 MPH on Wieuca Road from Peachtree Road to Roswell Road. #6: Decrease the speed limit from 35 MPH to 30 MPH on West Wieuca Road from Wieuca Road to Roswell Road. SIDEWALKS #7: Provide wide pedestrian assembly area along the street at the Wieuca Road/Whittington Drive intersection on a west corner adjacent to the crosswalk. A fence along Wieuca should be considered adjacent to assembly area. #8: Provide wide pedestrian assembly area along the street at the Wieuca Road/Ivy Road intersection on a west corner adjacent to the crosswalk. A fence along Wieuca should be considered adjacent to assembly area. #9: Provide safe pedestrian passage on west side of Wieuca Road at Little Nancy Creek (between Mountain Way and Loridans Drive). This improvement is necessary for many students to be able to walk to school. Options: pedestrian bridge or barrier on street to protect pedestrians. #10: Provide safe pedestrian passage on west side of Wieuca Road at Nancy Creek (between Wieuca Overlook and West Wieuca Road). Options: pedestrian bridge or barrier in street to protect pedestrians. #11: Repair broken sidewalks on the west side of Wieuca Road from Phipps Boulevard to Roswell Road. #12: Eliminate gaps where sidewalks have not been built on the west side of Wieuca Road. #13: Much of the existing sidewalk on the west side of Wieuca Road has no 18 vegetated buffer strip. Install fences or safety barriers at the pavement on the west side of Wieuca Road between Herrington Drive and Whittington Drive and between GA 400 and Statewood Road. #14: New sidewalk on east side of Wieuca Road from Wieuca Terrace to the Pinecrest Road alignment with at least 18 (preferably much wider) vegetated safety buffer. Existing sidewalks, including the segment between Statewood Road and GA 400, with no vegetated buffer or areas adjacent to left bearing traffic (North Ivy Road area, Mountain Way to Loridans area) must have fence or safety barrier. 2 2 Please consider a solution that: i) provides space for pedestrians and bikes by narrowing Wieuca Road pavement, ii) combines existing bike lanes to off pavement, extra wide sidewalk/bike path, and iii) has a 5+ foot wide vegetated buffer with a vehicle barrier or fence. Page 15 of 16
#15: New sidewalk on east side of Wieuca Road from Phipps Boulevard to Wieuca Terrace and from West Wieuca Road to Roswell Road with at least 18 (preferably much wider) vegetated safety buffer. Existing sidewalks with no vegetated buffer must have fence or safety barrier. 1 #16: Evaluate the feasibility of new sidewalks in the area with challenging topography on east side of Wieuca Road from Mountain Way to West Wieuca Road with at least 18 (preferably much wider) vegetated safety buffer. Existing sidewalks with no vegetated buffer must have fence or safety barrier. 1 #17: Repair broken sidewalks on the east side of Wieuca Road from Phipps Boulevard to Roswell Road, especially around the GA 400 bridge. CROSSWALKS #18: Marked crosswalk across Wieuca Road at the northwest side of the Wieuca Road/Whittington Drive intersection. #19: Marked crosswalk across Wieuca Road at the southeast side of the Wieuca Road/Ivy Road intersection. #20: Marked crosswalk across Wieuca Road at the northern side of the Wieuca Road/Loridans intersection. This crosswalk is needed for the school if sidewalks are not available from Loridans to the school on the east side of Wieuca Road. #21: Marked crosswalk across Loridans Drive at the eastern side of Wieuca Road at the Wieuca Road/Loridans intersection when sidewalks are built from Loridans to Mountain Way. This item should be implemented only with #16. #22: Marked crosswalk on Lakemoore Drive at Wieuca. This is a very difficult intersection and the pedestrians need the protection of a marked crosswalk. #23: Marked crosswalk at North Stratford Road. #24: Marked crosswalk at North Ivy Road. #25: Marked crosswalk at Pinecrest Road. #26: Marked crosswalk at West Wieuca Road. OTHER SCHOOL SAFETY AND TRAFFIC CALMING CHANGES #27: Radar smart signs approaching school zone. #28: School zone signs. #29: Update speed limit signs to show the revised speed limit. Please add Speed limit strictly enforced signs under signs at the perimeter of the neighborhood. Page 16 of 16