Dunwoody set to fix potholes, other safety problems - AJC

By April Hunt for the AJC

Three different work crews will fan out across Dunwoody on Friday morning, the first day Georgia’s newest municipality will handle the nuts and bolts of cityhood.

The workers will patch potholes, replace worn or chipped road signs and double-check storm drains to make sure there is no flooding on what’s expected to be a rainy day.

“We have already been on call for emergencies 24 hours a day, but Friday, we want to be out and show that we are being proactive,” said Richard Meehan, the public works director.

Meehan and city manager Warren Hutmacher have already done a street-by-street analysis of the city, looking for problems or safety concerns.

Fixes to streetlights and some road signs were done by DeKalb County, which turns over the system Friday in what Meehan says is “good shape.”

Still, the city has compiled a list of 235 work orders, for projects ranging from filling minor potholes with a cold mix of gravel and asphalt to broken curbs and blocked storm drains.

With such a large list, the city plans to attack problems related to safety first. And with the weather too cold to use heated asphalt to repair potholes, only the smaller ones will be handled Friday.

The city has budgeted $175,000 for pothole repair alone, and additional money can be moved from other lines to boost that fund.

“Everybody who has been living with a pothole on their streets because they didn’t expect the county to fix it are going to call. We’re going to be inundated,” said councilman Robert Wittenstein.

Hutmacher said the city will not be able to resolve all the potholes because of cost and because of other issues.

For instance, the city lifted its moratorium on business and alcohol license applications on Wednesday. Still, the city must do zoning research before issuing those licenses, which also requires manpower.

“There is a lot on our plate,” Hutmacher said. “But we are ready to go.”