Boulevard/Decatur Street Connection (Reynolds: tax, cost of, bike)

[HH82]

Here's my idea for a connection between Boulevard and Decatur Street that would hopefully alleviate some of the cut-through traffic in Cabbagetown/Reynoldstown via the Krog Street tunnel. I don't claim to be a professional, so please forgive the crudeness of the sketch. It involves eliminating the northbound ramp from Decatur to Boulevard up to the existing residences and replacing it with a loop on the adjacent large vacant lot, kind of like Paden Circle between DeKalb Ave and East Lake. The southbound ramp from Boulevard to Decatur would remain intact, so there would be no southbound left turn off of Boulevard to clog up traffic. There would be a new traffic light at both ends of the loop: one at Boulevard, one at Decatur, and then one at the end of the existing southbound ramp at Decatur. Daniel Street would no longer connect directly to Decatur Street, but would instead connect to the remaining part of the old northbound ramp via a new one-way street with a retaining wall for grade separation. The traffic signals on Boulevard already need to be coordinated, so maybe this would give them an excuse to do it already. I'm sure somebody has already thought of something like this, I'm not sure if this would work or if it could even be done, and I'm absolutely positive I've left some important details out, but I had fun playing civil engineer for a while anyway. Here are the existing conditions and the connector loop idea. Tawk amongst yahselves...

[cqholt]

Eliminate the contraflow lane on Decatur/DeKalb and replace it with sheltered left turn lanes at major intersections. Add a bike boulevard on the southside of the street.

[HH82]

Yeah, I stopped before I started messing with Decatur Street too much, because that suicide lane is an animal all its own. Good idea though.

[HH82]

The intersection at Boulevard and Memorial has been in need of an overhaul for a while now, so this could work if it were in conjunction with that and a couple of other improvements. With this new interchange, you could at least get rid of some of the people turning left into Krog Street tunnel from westbound Decatur/DeKalb during rush hour. Either they think the reversible lane is a left turn lane and they block the eastbound traffic, or they use the correct lane and block the westbound traffic. It's pretty stupid.

[jsvh]

Not sure I see how this is really needed. Maybe there are some problems with the existing intersection that I have missed when I have been though it before. To me it seems like this will just offer a marginal improvement to an intersection that is currently functioning satisfactory at the cost of a couple private lots that could be otherwise developed and cost of hundreds of thousands of tax dollars.

[Seatlien]

There's currently no access to Decatur for north-bound traffic on Boulevard - nor is there access to south-bound Boulevard from Decatur in either direction. I like it - and would use it often instead of Krog.

[HH82]

Originally Posted by Seatlien

There's currently no access to Decatur for north-bound traffic on Boulevard - nor is there access to south-bound Boulevard from Decatur in either direction. I like it - and would use it often instead of Krog.

Exactly. People coming up Boulevard from I-20 can't access Decatur/DeKalb without cutting through Cabbagetown to Krog Street tunnel. This would improve traffic flow east and west on DeKalb and cut down on all the cut-through traffic. The intersection at Decatur and Krog is terminally crappy with that stupid reversible lane, and it's only gonna get worse with more development coming at Krog Street Market. Boulevard is the main north/south thoroughfare through O4W. It makes sense to improve connectivity between it and Decatur/DeKalb.

[Seatlien]

Also consider that Krog/Dekalb is only going to get worse if/when they try to run the Beltline across Dekalb and then through/across Krog.

[jsvh]

Ah. Yea. I agree about reversible lanes too.

[HH82]

Originally Posted by Seatlien

Also consider that Krog/Dekalb is only going to get worse if/when they try to run the Beltline across Dekalb and then through/across Krog.

Big time. Cabbagetown/Reynoldstown can't handle more traffic. They should try and get something done soon or those tiny streets will just choke.