Poplar Street One Way Pair
Residents of the Intown Historic District first heard rumors of the project known as the "Poplar Street One Way Pair" sometime prior to the campaign for the vote on the one cent local option road tax. Represented by the Intown Macon Neighborhood Association (IMNA), residents strenuously objected to the project on the grounds that it would destroy the residential character of the Historic District by partitioning the neighborhood with substantial traffic barriers. It was also felt that it would create traffic delays for emergency ambulances and fire trucks located along the route and increase cut through traffic (and accidents) on secondary streets and alleys. At that time, many residents attended hearings and IMNA wrote a letter adamantly opposing this concept. Despite overwhelming public criticism, it was included on the list of projects advertised before the referendum, however, and became project 5A sometime soon after the referendum was passed. Many times we have heard from elected officials that Intown “voted” for this project, but that simply is not true. Intown was opposed to the One Way Pair from the beginning.
Sometime after the RIP began, a "public hearing" was held concerning the project. Many residents attended this hearing but were not allowed to speak or openly discuss this project. Comments were limited to written statements on cards. The residents heavily opposed this project in those written comments. Late in 1997 we learned that reason had prevailed and that this poorly conceived project had been dropped, only to learn that certain intersection modifications (College @ Georgia, @ Washington, @ Forsyth) would be "substituted" for the original project. No hearing of any kind was ever offered on these changes.
Upon learning of these substitutions, IMNA requested a meeting with Larry Justice, Chairman of the Bibb County Board of Commissioners and the Road Improvement Program Executive Committee. At that meeting, which was held at the insistence of residents, we saw for the first time plans for these projects. We were concerned because the widenings would, in places, necessitate the moving of power poles which would cause a loss of many old and historic trees, and in other places damage the trees that were left. We were concerned with losing valuable residential parking, and felt that these unsightly widenings would seriously degrade the residential quality of life in the neighborhood. The projects would directly impact three structures which were individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places and one house which was designated as a National Historic Landmark.
Chairman Justice’s only response was a request that IMNA form a committee to work with the RIP staff to address these concerns. IMNA responded promptly by forming the committee, which met four times with the RIP staff over the next year. Little progress was made in resolving the problems and in frustration, yellow ribbons were tied onto trees in the project area as a public protest of the projects. Shortly thereafter, Intown residents helped organize CAUTION-Macon. The outcry prompted Bob Fountain, County Engineer and Chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee of the RIP, to state that these projects were "city" projects to be done completely with local money, and as far as Bibb County was concerned they could be dropped from the RIP altogether. In response, IMNA worked diligently with the City of Macon Engineering Department to come up with a good, workable compromise plan which so far has been met with disinterest and resentment by the county. To add insult to injury, a letter from Chairman Justice was printed in the Macon Telegraph which claimed that his "repeated requests" for citizen input from IMNA had never been responded to when in fact we had been working hard with the RIP staff for well over a year to resolve the issues.
We have demonstrated a willingness for sensible compromise on the intersection modifications, even though we have never been shown concrete justification for them. Much to our dismay, we have learned the concept of the "One Way Pair" has been revived and we feel that this is a threat from the RIP in response to our very public objections to their original intersection plans. We, as a neighborhood, stand firm in our absolute objection to this project. We would be glad to accept the modified plan for the intersection improvements. It is important to note that Ray Luce, Interim Division director and Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Division approved this “redesign” of the two intersections which was worked out with the City of Macon Engineering Department.
Not only did the Intown neighborhood and Ray Luce approve of this compromise, but so did Richard Cloues, Survey and National Register Unit Manager and Walter Kulash, neighborhood friendly traffic engineer hired by Moreland-Altobelli at the public’s insistence.
With all parties concerned saying that they would be happy to accept the City of Macon Engineer’s plan, why is this plan not being approved?
---Could it have something to do with the fact that the Georgia Department of Transportation does in fact have detailed plans calling for the four-laning of Georgia Avenue between I-75 and College Street? This plan relates to other future improvements to the I-75/Hardeman/Forsyth interchange. It would seem that the GDOT plan to four lane Georgia Avenue from I-75 to College Street would make the Road Improvement Program’s Project 5A intersection improvements meaningless as Georgia Avenue becomes a major thoroughfare from the interstate to downtown Macon. Not only would these improvements be a massive waste of tax money, but Macon’s National Register of Historic Places status could be jeopardized as well. There are other, more appropriate ways to get traffic into downtown without dragging it through our fragile historic district. After all, tourism brought over $300 million into Macon last year, and the number one draw is our beautiful historic neighborhoods!
---Could it be that the left hand does not see what the right hand is doing? Road Improvement Program projects should not conflict with Georgia Department of Transportation projects. Concerned citizens should be able to look at the “total” picture and have input at all stages. Sadly, they are not afforded this opportunity in any meaningful way.
The most important point to remember about the “One Way Pair” project is that we the citizens never voted for this specific project to be done. The ballot for the 1% sales tax for road improvements did not list specific projects. We voted for a road improvement program to be done but not for any particular project. We stood in opposition to the One Way Pair project before the vote and we still stand in opposition. We have worked out an acceptable compromise with the City of Macon and wonder why this compromise has become such a political “football” and is not being discussed, much less accepted, by the Road Improvement Program Executive Committee. Intown has shown its willingness to roll up its sleeves and work hard to come up with a meaningful compromise for the good of our neighborhood. Now its time for the RIP to do the same!
For more information on this project, contact Suzan or Walker Rivers at 746-8965. Thanks!
A study by Walter Kulash at Yale shows two-way streets safer than one-way streets for pedestrians