Residents attended a public information meeting on Monday night at Sandy Springs Middle School about a proposal to construct approximately 2.2 miles of shared-use side path along Roberts Drive.
The city wants to create a safer walking and biking environment along the street and increase connectivity to parks and greenspace between Dunwoody Place and Roswell Road.
The project would take place in two phases. The first phase would start at Roberts Drive’s intersection with Dunwoody Place, cross Ga. 400 and end at Summer Crossing. The second phase would start at Summer Crossing, cross the northern Roberts Drive bridge over Ga. 400, and continue to Roswell Road.
Cedric Miller, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1990, said he used to run up and down Roberts Drive but had to stop because of the traffic and its speed.
“I see people walking up and down all the time,” Miller said. “My heart goes out to them because they basically have to walk in dirt, and they have no alternative.”
He was encouraged that Sandy Springs is looking at the northern part of the city to create amenities and safety for residents.
“If anybody would just walk up and down or drive up and down Roberts Drive during the day, at any time, you will see pedestrians dodging cars. And it’s just untenable, and it can’t go on,” Miller said.
Not all Sandy Springs residents want to see a wide side path along Roberts Drive, citing speeding motorists and pedestrian safety as the problems the city should be solving.
Bill Griffith has been attending successive city council meetings using the three minutes allowed per person for public comment to voice his views. He said the sidepath is unnecessary as sidewalks exist along parts of Roberts Drive. All that would be necessary for sidewalk safety would be to fill in the gaps.
Griffith said the sidepath is unnecessarily wide compared to a recently-approved contract for a 6-foot wide sidewalk on Brandon Mill Road.
“Furthermore, until the speed situation is gotten under better control, Roberts Drive will not be safe — regardless of the sidewalk/sidepath situation,” Griffith said.
Johan Schutz agreed that the basic issue to address is pedestrian safety.
“Safety has been an issue for a long time and has mostly been caused by speeding on Roberts Drive and the fact that there is only a partial sidewalk in place,” Schutz said.
Finances should be considered before doing anything beyond making it safe for pedestrians, Schutz said.
Schutz said the steep slopes, rocks, trees, and other obstacles along the road would make a sidepath very expensive.
“It would also take much longer than a basic option, which means safety will be delayed for pedestrians, and there will be quite a bit of traffic disruption for a much longer time,” Schutz said.
Jennifer and David Hamilton live at the Lodge on the Chattahoochee, an apartment complex west of Ga. 400 accessed by Roberts Drive. They view the sidepath more favorably.
Jennifer said she thinks the project will be great, especially Phase II which will affect them more. She said a lot of that area does not have sidewalks.
David said having a connection to the Island Ford Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and MARTA will help. Like Miller, the Hamiltons said they see people walking on the road or in the dirt next to the road, often heading to MARTA stops on Roswell Road.
The project design was funded through transportation sales tax. Construction is a second-tier priority in TSPLOST 2021, said Allen Johnson, TPSLOST program manager for the city.
The city will accept comments on the project through Monday, Nov. 11, and may be submitted by completing a digital comment card or emailing them to communications@sandyspringsga.org.
More information can be found online on the Roberts Drive Multi-Use Side Path page.