Brookhaven officials are using its land-taking authority to acquire a small piece of land where Corner Pizza stands to make way for traffic improvements at the tricky intersection at Ashford-Dunwoody and Johnson Ferry roads.
The council approved a resolution at its Feb. 26 meeting to use eminent domain for the tip of the triangular piece of land where the pizza restaurant stands at the notorious intersection known for its X-shape.
City Attorney Chris Balch said the city has tried for about two years to purchase the land from the property owner, Laurenthia Mesh, and in September 2018 and again in January offered the city’s appraised price of $60,300. Balch said Mesh has not responded to repeated requests from the city about the property.
When reached by phone, Mesh said she had no comment.
The intersection improvements are part of the Ashford-Dunwoody Corridor Study the council approved in 2017. The city plans to extend the right lane on northbound Ashford-Dunwoody Road from south of Publix, behind Corner Pizza, to Johnson Ferry Road.
Plans are also to restripe existing lanes on Ashford-Dunwoody Road to create one dedicated left-turn lane, one regular lane and one right turn lane. New overhead signs and pavement markings will also be added and optimizing the traffic signal at the intersection to help with the flow of traffic is also part of the plan.
An existing concrete median divider in front of Publix will be relocated to the center line of Ashford-Dunwoody Road to prevent left turns into and out of the grocery store complex and to separate northbound and southbound traffic to ensure access to Kadleston Way, according to city plans.
Sidewalks will also be installed along the west side of Ashford-Dunwoody Road and gaps on the east side will be filled.