Local pedestrian improvements lead to Golden Shoe Award

PEDS has identified SouthStar CDC as one of the recipients of its eighth Annual Golden Shoe Award.

SouthStar Community Development Corporation continues to advocate for pedestrian improvements to south Moreland and Glenwood Avenue. Community volunteers Ken Rose (East Atlanta) and Jamie Smith (Ormewood Park) have been working with the Bryant Poole (Georgia Department of Transportation - GDOT) to improve pedestrian safety on Moreland Avenue.

The work to improve pedestrian safety on south Moreland Avenue and Glenwood Avenue has been recognized by PEDS, an Atlanta non-profit dedicated to improving pedestrian conditions throughout the city of Atlanta. PEDS has identified Southstar CDC as one of the recipients of its annual Golden Shoe Award. The Eighth Annual Golden Shoe Award ceremony will take place on October 25th, 2007 at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta. Congratulations to the community volunteers whose work is being recognized with this award! For more information on the Golden Shoe award, please click here.

GDOT has recently removed a substantial amount of undergrowth at the Moreland and I-20 interchange to improve visibility for motorists and pedestrians. The DOT is also improving the pedestrian crossings at the interchange by replacing and improving the sidewalk positioning.  Fencing that previously prevented pedestrians from accessing Flat Shoals Avenue south of I-20 has also been removed to provide better pedestrian connections behind the Shell gas station, thus allowing pedestrians a way to avoid automobile traffic entering and leaving the gas station from Moreland Avenue.

The State has installed new pedestrian signals at the intersection of Glenwood and Moreland Avenues and has increased the time for pedestrians to cross on Moreland. The next planned improvement is the installation of a traffic signal where the I-20 west exit ramp intersects the north bound lanes of Moreland Avenue.

Future improvements for pedestrian safety on Moreland and Glenwood include: raising the roadside curbs to direct water to storm water drains and eliminate pooling on the roadway and overflow onto sidewalks; replacing crosswalk markings that were removed when Moreland was repaved last year, and; improving the quality of the sidewalks so that they are safe for all pedestrians. Many sections of the sidewalk on Moreland Avenue and on Glenwood Avenue are not suitable for use with strollers, or for persons with disabilities who require use of a wheelchair or other walking aids. Community volunteers are working with the City and the State to find solutions to the pedestrian challenges on these two major streets in our neighborhoods.

This important work is being done by community volunteers - neighborhood residents just like you. SouthStar is in the initial stage of creating a forum for neighborhood residents and business owners to come together, share ideas, and create solutions for the many challenges, pedestrian and otherwise, that can be found on south Moreland Avenue. Your participation in this effort is needed. The South Moreland Avenue Community Coalition (SMACC) needs community volunteers to play leadership roles in forming, shaping and moving this initiative to the next stage. If you are interested in learning more about SMACC, or wish to volunteer your skills and expertise, please call the SouthStar CDC office at 404-522-3755.
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