GDOT answers City of Dunwoody's questions on top end express lanes.

Mayor Deutsch and I put forward questions to GDOT on the proposed top end express lanes and recieved a joint answer.   Here it is.

Monday, February 24, 2020

Tim, Eric & Commissioner McMurry,

I understand that the top end express lanes are needed prior to mass transit being added and based on the drawings I have three requests / comments. I have posted these to the web but figured I would follow up via email.

Top End Express needs access to & from PIB otherwise Shallowford and Dunwoody streets will be filled with cars coming from or going to PIB - these drivers want to be on PIB please keep them there. Without PIB access next WB exit is North Peachtree forcing drivers through my Dunwoody North side streets with single family homes to get back to PIB. SB PIB drivers will get off at NB Tilly Mill, turn Left onto Stonington and snake way over to Shallowford entrance.

North Peachtree Rd needs a dedicated return lane from Savoy to Cotillion just like Chamblee Dunwoody

Sound walls need to be up before construction to protect single family homes.

Thank you for the consideration,

John Heneghan
Dunwoody City Council

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Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Good afternoon!

A couple of new concerns that I wanted to get to you before tonight’s deadline. I know that our dialogue will continue through the design and construction of the lanes but I wanted to raise a couple of issues. My priority is to minimize the impacts of construction and the actual lanes on the residents of my community.

In this light, it would be great if the “loop” that will connect Savoy and Cotillion at Chamblee-Dunwoody Road could either be incorporated into the new Chamblee-Dunwoody Bridge or be built simultaneously. This would minimize the disruption to residents, businesses and commuters in the area.

Also, I am sure you are aware of the 100s of residents in the Madison Condominiums. Please let know if the city can be of any assistance as you continue your studies and planning.

Not so new requests—noise walls up first, additional space on the Chamblee Dunwoody bridge for wide sidewalk/trail and greenery, and space left for a multi-purpose trail that will connect the top end cities.

Thanks for your hard work.

Lynn Deutsch
Mayor, City of Dunwoody

Mayor Lynn Deutsch
Councilman John Heneghan
City of Dunwoody
4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338

Mayor Deutsch and Councilman Heneghan,

Thank you for reaching out about the I-285 Top End Express Lanes Project. Feedback or inquiries received during the Public Information Open House (PIOH) public comment period (January 21 – February 25, 2020) for the public meeting series will be considered part of Georgia DOT’s official record of the PIOHs. A full comment response letter will be developed by the project team, usually within 60 days of the close of the comment period, responding to comments received during the PIOHs.

We will include your comments in the full comment response letter, but have addressed some of your specific comments below:

 • Peachtree Industrial Boulevard Access
Existing general purpose (GP) interchanges are not generally considered for arterial access ramps to and from express lanes (EL) in order to avoid potential operational impacts of combining GP and EL traffic into a single location. Under the build condition, drivers would use the direct merge on I-285 at North Shallowford Road to move from the GP lanes to the EL system in order to reach destinations west of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, such as the Perimeter area and Cobb County. Essentially, drivers could still use northbound or southbound Peachtree Industrial Boulevard as they do today, merge onto I-285 heading west, and then almost immediately enter the EL system at the direct merge to travel westward without using local streets. The reverse commute would be similar for drivers traveling northbound or southbound on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard wanting to go in the eastbound direction of I-285.

 • New Chamblee Dunwoody Bridge/Savoy-Cotillion “Loop”
The replacement of the Chamblee Dunwoody bridge is part of GDOT PI 0017125, an Advanced Improvement Project (AIP) that includes operational improvements between Chamblee Dunwoody Road and Ashford Dunwoody Road. The conversion of Savoy Drive and Cotillion Drive to a one-way pair is proposed under the I-285 Top End Express Lanes project (PI 0001758) and is not part of PI 0017125. Traffic studies are ongoing to help determine future conditions in this area resulting from implementation of each project, and this comment will be considered as design progresses.

• Madison Square at Dunwoody Community
 Nearly 70 residents attended an HOA meeting on February 18, 2020 and shared their input with project team representatives. Councilman Jim Riticher also attended, and we have received comments from residents as well that will be incorporated into the comment response as part of Georgia DOT’s official record of the PIOHs. We plan to engage this community in the coming months as the design progresses and will notify you when a meeting is scheduled. We appreciate the offer to assist with this outreach.

 • Noise/Sound Walls
While Georgia DOT does not typically dictate construction sequencing and phasing in Design-Build contracts, the Department encourages progressing construction in such a way that priority is placed on installing noise barriers as early as practical. There may be some design and/or constructability conflicts in areas along the project corridor which prevent Georgia DOT or the Developer from physically constructing a noise barrier early in the construction phase. The decision to provide permanent sound walls is determined once the final noise study is complete and public input on the proposed noise wall is received. Please note that any existing noise barriers may have to be temporarily removed to facilitate construction.

We appreciate your feedback and interest in the project. Please let us know of any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Tim Matthews, P.E.
Program Manager
Major Mobility Investment Program

Proposal Idea - not final

Link - 400 to Ashford Dunwoody

Link - Chamblee Dunwoody to North Peachtree

Link - PIB to Flowers