BikeAthens Update

August 21, 2005

This week:

• Prince repaving in the works?
• Little movement on Old Hull

PRINCE REPAVING IN THE WORKS?

By Brad Aaron Administrator

The foreseeable future of Prince Avenue could be determined over the next few months. At a recent commission regular session, ACC Manager Alan Reddish was directed to repave Prince as is - with four lanes of auto traffic - from downtown to the Milledge Avenue intersection. This action was taken with no commission vote, and no public input session has been scheduled. This week BikeAthens queried elected officials as to the status of Prince repaving plans, with no response as of this writing.

As a level route connecting downtown and UGA with numerous in-town neighborhoods, Prince Avenue is one of the most popular cycling corridors in Athens, and is an integral part of the ACC Bike Master Plan. Residents, business people, and pedestrian and cycling advocates have repeatedly asked Athens-Clarke County to make the street safer for non-motorized use. In response, Commissioner David Lynn led the way in restoring Prince to the BMP after a successful campaign by his predecessor Hugh Logan to have it removed. However, it will be much more difficult to make the case for traffic calming on Prince if the county renews its present iteration with a fresh repaving.

Mayor and commission contact info: http://www.athensclarkecounty.com/commission/

LITTLE MOVEMENT ON OLD HULL

By Brad Aaron Administrator

The widening of Old Hull Road, with no bike lanes and a sidewalk on just one side of the street, was approved by the county commission earlier this month. Following that vote, BikeAthens discovered that the project was indeed intended to have bike lanes, per the Bike Facilities Map adopted by ACORTS (now MACORTS) in 1999 - a fact overlooked by Athens-Clarke County staff, county commissioners, and GDOT.

In order for the street to be widened as it was originally envisioned, one of the nine commissioners who voted in favor of it must first move for reconsideration (Carl Jordan cast the sole opposing vote). BikeAthens has formally asked that the commission revisit the issue, but thus far only Alice Kinman in District 4 has indicated any interest in doing so.

If Athens-Clarke County is to live up to its stated commitment to adequate alternative transportation facilities, it is imperative that the local government at the very least follow through on its own plans. Old Hull Road and Prince Avenue are two golden opportunities for the mayor and commission to make good on past assurances.

Mayor and commission contact info: http://www.athensclarkecounty.com/commission/