The city of Brookhaven made its first sidewalk repairs near Woodward and Montgomery elementary schools while students were away for spring break.
Brookhaven’s Public Works Department assessed the conditions of the sidewalks around the five schools in the city and chose to begin the first repairs during DeKalb County’s spring break April 8-12, said Brookhaven’s Public Works Director Richard Meehan.
Meehan said during the week, crews were able to repair about 480 feet of sidewalk on Ashford Dunwoody Road and Curtis Drive.
“We’re happy with the progress. 480 feet is a lot to get done in one week…. They did a great job,” Meehan said.
Meehan said Montgomery and Woodward were selected as the schools in the greatest need.
“Some of the sidewalks around those two schools were in a little worse shape than the other schools,” Meehan said. “Logistically, with only having five days to do the work, we had to narrow our scope and limit how much we could do.”
Representatives from the schools said there is still much to be done.
Michael Rock, chairman of the Safe Routes to School program for Montgomery Elementary School, said he is glad to see the new city is making an effort to improve sidewalks along Ashford Dunwoody Road.
“I think it’s great,” Rock said, “the fact that there have been sidewalk improvements there. It’s the first attention that’s been paid to Ashford Dunwoody Road in the nine years I’ve been there, so it’s refreshing to see.”
However, he said he’s disappointed that the sidewalk closest to the school has yet to be repaired.
“The part of the sidewalk that needed to be repaired in my opinion didn’t get repaired,” Rock said. “What they didn’t do is focus their attention on the side of the sidewalk that does get foot traffic.”
Meehan said his department plans to meet with school representatives to talk about further sidewalk repairs and other improvements for pedestrian safety. Sidewalk repairs will continue around Montgomery and Woodward elementary schools as well as around Brookhaven’s other schools after the school year ends. Meehan said general sidewalk repairs around the city will also begin soon.
Montgomery is at the crest of a hill, which makes it difficult for drivers to see when people are walking in the crosswalk. Rock said he would like to see a crossing guard and better signage in front of the school.
“We’ve had a lot of people who have almost been hit, a lot of accidents where people were going too fast and got rear-ended,” Rock said.