Description
The new curbing on the southwest corner of N Morningside and North Highland Ave blocks what used to be a right turn lane. Traffic now backs up single file on N Morningside because vehicles can no longer turn right on red if there is any vehicle stopped at the light. The curb seems to serve no useful purpose except to trick drivers into thinking there is a right turn lane, then immediately "dead ending" into a solid curb where a right turn lane would normally be!
Who designs these curbs, anyway? Rip it up, send the DOT roadway designers to "curb school" and try again.
Not only is this a terrible design which restricts traffic flow for no good reason, but I believe it is only a matter of time before someone wrecks their car by driving right over this new senseless "dead-end" lane.
2 Comments
Lmiyake (Registered User)
I agree that the new curb on N Morningside at N highland is a bad idea for everyone. I often walk with my kids & drive through that intersection, and the curb does nothing to make the intersection safer for pedestrians. The pedestrian cross signal needs to be fixed on all sides and it needs to be timed better with the lights. Perhaps all drivers get a red light when a crossing signal is pressed. Oh and the bulbs in all of the signals need to be replaced regularly so that people know when to stop and go... really Atlanta DOT... can't keep signals working properly because of bulbs being out?! That's the most dangerous and most simple thing to keep up on.
If DOT wants to make more routes safer for kids, one could look at the speeds at which drivers come through the NE (non-calmed) side of N. Morningside Drive. Erroll Davis, in his infinite wisdom, took away the elementary school busses for this area causing double the driving traffic and double the pedestrians at morning rush hour and school pick up time (although MES has 2 more half-filled busses than last year... hmmm). The traffic needs have changed since MES orginally was granted the funds to allow DOT to make safer routes to school. The Morningside community generally feels that the traffic pattern changes have simply extended the dangerous routes and streets to what used to be quiet streets for kids to walk along.
Closed Dave (Guest)