Changes to Freedom Parkway

[pollen]

Originally Posted by JPD

Oh well, I don't see this as the disaster you and others are seeing it as. It's not pedestrian friendly, but it never has been, so there's little drawback for pedestrians and a major improvement for drivers and emergency vehicles.

Maybe I'm over-reacting a bit. It certainly won't be a "disaster," I just always hate to see road changes like this that will have a negative impact on walkability. Any project led by the city of Atlanta or neighborhood groups (e.g. the midtown alliance, central Atlanta progress) tends to add to the urban fabric and increase walkability. Think about the Decatur road diet, streetscape improvements on West Peachtree, cycle tracks on 10th street, repaving of Ponce, changing Broad street into a pedestrian plaza, better bike/ped infrastructure on the streetcar route, and so on. Sometimes GDOT gets it right too - like the 5th street bridge. But then I see something like this proposal and it seems like a step backward. Just because the intersection isn't very pedestrian friendly now doesn't mean we should try to make it worse for pedestrians. If there's really a problem with ambulances trying to get through, then add a wide shoulder median instead of another lane. Ambulances can use the median in an emergency.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by pollen

But then I see something like this proposal and it seems like a step backward. Just because the intersection isn't very pedestrian friendly now doesn't mean we should try to make it worse for pedestrians. If there's really a problem with ambulances trying to get through, then add a wide shoulder median instead of another lane. Ambulances can use the median in an emergency.

I agree with your viewpoint, but I don't know if it will get worse for pedestrians. A raised triangle on the north side will be added. That will give peds a place to stop of they can't make it all the way across on one walk signal.

Adding a median might work. But the root of the problem is people from the far left lane trying to merge to the far right, and vise versa. If an ambulance is coming from the southbound connector, a median on the right side wouldn't do them any good. It would help ambulances approaching from the northbound connector, however.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by pollen

Maybe I'm over-reacting a bit. It certainly won't be a "disaster," I just always hate to see road changes like this that will have a negative impact on walkability. Any project led by the city of Atlanta or neighborhood groups (e.g. the midtown alliance, central Atlanta progress) tends to add to the urban fabric and increase walkability. Think about the Decatur road diet, streetscape improvements on West Peachtree, cycle tracks on 10th street, repaving of Ponce, changing Broad street into a pedestrian plaza, better bike/ped infrastructure on the streetcar route, and so on. Sometimes GDOT gets it right too - like the 5th street bridge. But then I see something like this proposal and it seems like a step backward. Just because the intersection isn't very pedestrian friendly now doesn't mean we should try to make it worse for pedestrians. If there's really a problem with ambulances trying to get through, then add a wide shoulder median instead of another lane. Ambulances can use the median in an emergency.

Not if they can't get to it. I've seen that situation.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by JPD

I agree with your viewpoint, but I don't know if it will get worse for pedestrians. A raised triangle on the north side will be added. That will give peds a place to stop of they can't make it all the way across on one walk signal.

Adding a median might work. But the root of the problem is people from the far left lane trying to merge to the far right, and vise versa. If an ambulance is coming from the southbound connector, a median on the right side wouldn't do them any good. It would help ambulances approaching from the northbound connector, however.

There's simply too much traffic and too much turning to make this pedestrian friendly (without the almost politically impossible underpass).

It really is a bad design. You have vehicles from the both directions on the freeway and downtown from Ellis trying to cross to go right or left, all within about 300 yards of the exit ramps.

The extra left turn lane will help.