This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Buckhead Council, Transportation Reps to Meet about Predicted Traffic Snarls

City and state officials say there's no way to reschedule two projects that are likely to make life extra miserable for commuters in Buckhead.

The Buckhead Council of Neighbors will meet with public works and Georgia DOT representatives to talk about in Buckhead.

Improvements to the set to begin in early July and on Northside Drive set to start at the end of July or early August are expected to combine to create problems for drivers. The Buckhead Council of Neighbors wanted to ease the pain by rescheduling the projects.

Officials have said that's not possible due to funding issues, so neighborhood association leaders and the City of Atlanta hashed out a detour route around the Amtrak station. Part of the detour route, on 17th Street, has its own problems involving the improper timing of traffic lights, according to Loring Heights Neighborhood Association President Ron Grunwald.

Find out what's happening in Buckheadwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Fixing the 17th Street traffic light timing problem is one of many things that Grunwald wants the city to commit to in the newest meeting on the subject, scheduled for 10 a.m. today at the .

Among other issues, Grunwald said he wants the city to provide police officers in neighborhoods along the detour routes to help with traffic. He also said that other projects in the area, including construction at , could make traffic even worse.

Find out what's happening in Buckheadwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Why is the city lumping all these projects in one area together at the same time?" he asked. "I just don't think we're getting all the answers or being listened to."

He said the GDOT is focuses on long-term planning and not considering the short term problems created for people living and working in the area.

"GDOT doesn't understand the urban landscape or customer like it does the rural customer," he said.

Charis Madaris of GDOT said the meeting is open to the public and GDOT chief engineer Gerald Ross will be in attendance.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Buckhead