Traffic near the Windward Parkway-Ga. 9 intersection might be moving just a bit smoother this week, as an intersection improvement project added a second left turn lane from Windward south to the state highway.
A second project at the Mayfield-Canton intersection is more complex, adding turn lanes in all directions, and will take more time to complete.
On Monday, a second left turn lane opened for motorists wanting to turn left (south) onto Ga. 9 from Windward Parkway. Milling and resurfacing was followed by re striping to mark the new lanes of travel, according to John Moskaluk, the city's director of Engineering & Public Works.
Motorists in the right most left turn lane have found they need to merge left soon after the turn. Otherwise, they will be forced to turn right just after the Lowes plaza traffic light.
The additional lane was added to reduce the amount of traffic backed up on Windward Parkway.
By having contractors work during the day, the city saved up to 50 percent of the cost it would have taken to have the contractor work on the intersection at night. However, Moskaluk said the real reason was for safety. All corners of the intersection have businesses that are open late at night, with three of the four open 24 hours a day. "From a safety point of view with all the activity, I think daytime is the way to go. And that is not even a money issue -- just pure safety," he said.
The project cost $148,000.
The current traffic headache may be the Canton-Mayfield intersection, but motorists will be glad to hear all four directions will have left turn lanes installed, with directional traffic lights. However, a tight fit has been designed to help slow down traffic and save as many specimen trees as possible. Each lane will be only 11 feet wide, about 1 foot narrower than normal.
"We're working closely with the contractor to have the geometry of the intersection accomplished," said Pete Sewczwicz, deputy director of Engineering & Public Works. "Georgia Power has to relocate their poles. That's the critical path."
He said the city and its contractor are working closely with Georgia Power, ATT and Comcast on utility relocations.
That intersection near the Alpharetta Library branch will cost $491,000 by the time it is completed.
Several townhome developments south on Canton cannot receive certificates of occupancy until this intersection is improved, though at least one developer has delayed his project.
Labels: canton road, city of alpharetta, Improvements, mayfield road
# posted by
Brian Vanderhoff @ 10:33 AM
