Sandy Springs Neighborhood Leaders Get TSPLOST Update

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- Many people who attended Tuesday's Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods' annual meeting have been fighting for the city's livelihood for the last 20 years.

So, the dozens of people who braved the cold, windy conditions packed into Lost Corner Preserve March 14 to hear what the city has in store to accommodate the growth Sandy Springs is expected to see for the years to come.

France Campbell, the city's transportation director, provided an overview of the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or TSPLOST, that will go into effect April 1 in Fulton County.

Council of Neighborhoods President Trisha Thompson said she was "absolutely thrilled" at Tuesday's turnout, which included appearances by Councilmen Gabriel Sterling, John Paulson and Chris Burnett. State Rep. Deborah Silcox also attended the meeting.

She also noted Tuesday's meeting was about change and how city leaders and stakeholders will adjust to that change.

The .75-percent tax will be collected for five years, and Campbell said collections for Sandy Springs should reach about $103 million.

Campbell made note of some of the city's plans:

• Traffic efficiency improvements: $18 million; provides for local intersection improvements such as I-285 at Glenridge Drive; Roswell Road at Grogan's Ferry, Dalrymple and Trowbridge roads; Spalding Drive at Pitts Road; Powers Ferry Road/Interstate North Parkway; and Northside Drive at Riverview Road.
• Perimeter last mile connectivity: $8 million
• Sidewalks program: $11 million
• Efficiency improvements for Johnson Ferry/Mt. Vernon -- otherwise known as the infamous dual roundabouts proposal.
• Phase 1 of the Hammond Drive efficiency improvement plans, which would complete the design of widening the road and including sidewalks, bicycle lanes and transit lanes.
• S.R. 400 Trail system: A Path 400 trail that would connect from its terminus at Loridans Drive to I-285/SR-400 interchange trail.

Of course, with all this activity, the city will need to bring in additional bodies to ensure the work gets done as required by the law and the referendum passed by voters.

“This has impacts on our procurement staff (and) our legal staff, but it really helps us develop a lot more projects," Campbell said.

To that end, the city will utilize program manager to keep an eye on the overall TSPLOST initiative. The city has also hired a construction ambassador who will help with outreach efforts with the community at large.

Campbell also noted the city will use its standard methods of communication -- website, newsletters, social media accounts -- to keep residents informed of the projects.

One resident asked if the city has considered any changes to the proposed dual roundabouts on Johnson Ferry Road. Current plans call for installing one roundabout just west of the Johnson Ferry Road, Mt. Vernon Highway and Boylston Drive intersection and another at the Johnson Ferry, Mt. Vernon and Mt. Vernon Towers driveway.

It would also return the streets to two-way thoroughfares.

Campbell said the city is considering possibly shifting the roundabout at the Mt. Vernon Towers driveway closer to the Sandy Springs Public Library and if a grid network would work in the area.

Sandy Springs faced criticism from the public about its silence on the project. Since it was receiving federal dollars for the roundabouts, those regulations stifled the city's desires to communicate with residents about the plans.

The rule, which Sterling said was "stupid," meant Sandy Springs could have lost money if it violated those federal stipulations.

"We were stuck," the Councilman added.

Now that it's using TSPLOST dollars for the project, Sandy Springs can discuss the plans freely with residents.

Another resident raised a question pertaining to how the city plans to respond to the inevitable boom City Springs and the surrounding area will see once the redevelopment projects underway are up and thriving.

Campbell added the city conducted a traffic study for the area and took into account all the apartments, retail and restaurants that are expected to be constructed. He also said plans would call for tweaking the grid network in the area so motorists can have alternate ways of getting around as opposed to relying on Sandy Springs Circle and Roswell Road.

France was also asked why the city could consider roundabouts for the Johnson Ferry/Mt. Vernon corridor, but scrap plans for a roundabout at Heards Ferry and Riverside Drive.

He said engineers on the latter project determined roundabouts "didn't move the needle" much when it comes to traffic flow, as there are more motorists who are trying to make turns at that intersection.

However, at the Johnson Ferry Road/Mt. Vernon area, the traffic tends to flow in two directions, east or west. This would allow for traffic to flow more freely through the roundabouts, as motorists won't have to worry too much about yielding to vehicles trying to turn left or right.

You can learn more about the city's TSPLOST projects by visiting its website dedicated to the initiative. Click here to learn more about the Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods.

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