Please Pardon Our Progress… Ashford Dunwoody / Mount Vernon

Complete Drawings 2.9 MB

A resident e-mailed me to ask as to the status of construction at Ashford Dunwoody & Mount Vernon, so I inquired and received this letter from Ms. Yvonne Williams, President and CEO of the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts. I was also told that the PCID will be providing monthly updates to the Crier until the project is complete.

Dear Editor:

Please Pardon Our Progress… We know that any road construction is an inconvenience, but the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts (PCIDs) believe that the results of the Ashford Dunwoody Road @ Mt. Vernon Highway project will be very positive both visually and operationally for Dunwoody residents, commuters, pedestrians and cyclists. Work is continuing on the overall project even though the focus may not be on that particular section at this time and we are working with the contractor to expedite this project wherever possible.

The intersection improvement is a project managed and funded through the PCIDs. This intersection is part of a package of intersection upgrades between Meadow Lane and Mt. Vernon Highway. Also included is the complete repaving of Ashford Dunwoody Road from Meadow Lane to Mt. Vernon Highway. This entire scope of work was awarded to one contractor. The start date was October 2008 and the work must be completed by October 2009.

The project includes a redesign of pedestrian crossings, ADA-compliant ramps, enhanced pedestrian signage, updated intersection markings, improved signal timing, illuminated street signage, video detection, traffic signal poles and mast arms. In addition, the intersection is being realigned in a manner in which the continual right turn movement will allow for a “pocket park” feature at the southeast corner of the intersection accessible to pedestrians. The PCIDs are purchasing and installing landscaping for the pocket park to include fescue sod, bosque elm trees and some low lying drought resistant foliage. The Dunwoody Homeowners Association will then decide what additional landscaping to add.

The particular intersection of Ashford Dunwoody Road @ Mt. Vernon is the largest portion of the overall project outside of the repaving portion. This intersection is also the most visible as it relates to gauging the status of completion. Though there may not be any activity for a certain period of time that does not mean that the project has been abandoned. During a transportation construction project, several factors and milestones must be met before being able to progress to the next stage of work. For example, at this particular intersection we’re currently working to gain power to the new traffic signals. Once this is complete, the new signals will be operational and the old traffic signal poles will be removed. Once the old traffic signal poles are removed, the contractor can proceed with finishing work on the ADA ramp areas of the intersection.

Transportation contractors have more than one project under construction at one time. They schedule their work with crews of either their own employees or with subs who specialize in certain types of deliverables for a project. Therefore, if there is a project where the work warrants crews full time versus a project where utility coordination is still underway, the contractor makes the decision to place the crews where they are needed at the moment.

We understand the sensitivity of the way the construction site looks to the residential community. The contractor is aware of this and is working diligently to secure the needed utility relocations to allocate the necessary crews to finish the work.

The PCIDs have had a good track record of success with the transportation improvements they have made since 1999 and we are confident that Dunwoody residents will be pleased with this project as well when it is completed in a few months. If you have any additional questions or comments, please contact the PCIDs’ Program Director Tony Peters at tpeters@perimetercid.org or 770-390-1790.

Yvonne Williams
President & CEO
Perimeter Community Improvement Districts
ywilliams@perimetercid.org
770-390-1781