Sandy Springs Unveils Proposed Intersection Improvement Plans

Dozens of Sandy Springs residents poured into Temple Sinai Tuesday evening to review proposed intersection improvements needed due to the relocation of Heards Ferry Elementary School.

The city hosted a public information open house featuring preliminary design plans to improve the intersections of Heards Ferry Road and Raider Drive, Powers Ferry Road and Heards Drive, Powers Ferry Road at Dupree and Interstate North Parkway and Riveredge Parkway.

The Fulton County School System in August plans to open the new Heards Ferry Elementary at 6151 Powers Ferry Road for the 2015-16 school year. The school currently shares a 50-acre site with Riverwood International Charter School.

The new school would have a maximum enrollment of 850 students.

The proposed changes for each of the intersections include:

Heards Ferry Road and Raider Drive/Heards Creek Drive

• Widen intersection to include a westbound left turn lane, a northbound right turn lane and an eastbound right turn lane;
• Northbound approach — Raider Drive — would be aligned six feet to the west to maximize right-of-way acquisition; and
• Existing traffic signals would be mounted on mast arms.

Powers Ferry Road and Heards Road

• Since the city says the intersection is “currently skewed,” plans would involve realigning the eastbound approach to intersect Heards Road/Powers Ferry Road at an 85 degree angle;
• Intersection would be widened with an eastbound left turn lane and a southbound right turn lane; and
• If a traffic signal is warranted for the intersection, it would be mounted on mast arms.

Powers Ferry Road and Dupree Drive

• Intersection will become a four-way intersection once the school driveway is constructed and would warrant the installation of a traffic signal;
• The center left turn lane on Powers Ferry Road will be used to add a right turn lane for northbound traffic and a left turn lane for southbound traffic; and
• Dupree Drive will also have turn lanes extended to help “absorb” the anticipated increase in right turning traffic for the school.

Interstate North and Riveredge Parkway

• Sandy Springs initiated this project due peak hour congestion created by eastbound left turning traffic on Interstate North Parkway.
• The three-way intersection is currently not able to meet eastbound left turn demands from Interstate North to Riveredge Parkway.
• The Riveredge Parkway right turn is short and prevents left turning traffic from reaching the intersection.
• A traffic signal and roundabout have been reviewed, and the signal would provide a better level of service to the intersection.

One resident — Debbie Hartzell — lamented the overall increase in traffic that’s come to the Sandy Springs area. Hartzell said she moved from the Morningside area of Atlanta to Sandy Springs 15 years ago in an effort to find a ”cleaner,” more walkable area.

Now, she said she’s ”dismayed” at the increased growth and development she’s witnessed in the last five years.

“It’s like we’re becoming Gwinnett County now,” she said.

Barry Lebowitz of the Historic Cross Roads Community Association said he’d hope to see improvements come to Dupree Drive at Old Powers Ferry Road.

Lebowitz added he’s concerned more motorists would use Old Powers Ferry Road to bypass the anticipated increase of traffic on Powers Ferry when Heards Ferry Elementary opens.

What he reviewed on Tuesday, Lebowitz added, would do nothing to address the current issues at Dupree and Old Powers Ferry.

Tell us: What do you think of the proposed intersection improvements?