Cost concerns raised over Dunwoody’s bridge enhancements at I-285

Graphic of pedestrian and bridge enhancements on Chamblee Dunwoody Road at the I-285 bridge. (Courtesy of the City of Dunwoody) The Dunwoody City Council at its July 14 meeting discussed final design and cost estimate for enhancements to the Chamblee Dunwoody Road bridge over I-285. The improvements will be incorporated into an agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation as part of the Top End Managed Lanes project, according to a presentation by Public Works Director Michael Smith. Since the city council discussed the enhancements in December 2024, the fence column LED lighting has been removed at GDOT’s direction, Smith said. GDOT has also directed removal of the barrier wall/planter between the path and the travel lanes, which the council discussed at the meeting. The $2.1 million negotiated cost includes decorative railing, pedestrian lighting, barrier and bridge painting plus a GDOT-mandated 50 percent contingency on the painting piece. The city’s five-year capital budget currently includes $2 million for the project, Smith said. Another factor in the enhancements involves the GDOT plan to replace the bridge as part of its Top End Express Lane project. The new bridge will have the same number of lanes as the existing bridge with a 10-foot sidewalk on the east side of road and a 12-foot-wide shared use path on the west side, according to a staff memo presented to the council. Future plans include turning Cotillion Drive and Savoy Drive into one-way roads, with a return access lane connecting the two roads will also be added to the east side of the bridge. The council questioned the GDOT changes to the design, asking whether they were aesthetic or safety issues, and expressed disappointment with the final design. Smith said he was unsure about the reasoning behind the modifications. “For a $2.1 million price tag, I’m completely underwhelmed with the enhancements that we are getting,” said Council Member Tom Lambert. “A lot of the initial elements have been stripped out for cost reasons, which I understand, but what’s left doesn’t justify the enormous price tag.” Smith said he is anticipating an Inter-Governmental Agreement from the GDOT, which will include more details about the project. Mayor Lynn Deutsch said the timing for the enhancements along with the Top End Managed Lane project is still unclear, and that it appears that, at a minimum, is several years away. Deutsch also questioned the 50 percent contingency for part of the overall project, which was echoed by other council members. No action was taken at the July 14 meeting. Smith said he would return to the council after the IGA is received. The council also heard from Alan Mothner, the CEO of the Spruill Center for the Arts, who presented an annual report regarding its operations. He discussed the impact of Spruill’s recent 8,300-square-foot expansion. Program offerings have increased 55 percent and enrollment has increased 37 percent compared to before expansion. Mothner said, while waitlists have decreased by 63 percent. Spruill has also awarded 316 scholarships totaling about $90,000. In other action, the council: • appointed Jeff Moss to a three-year term on the Dunwoody Planning Commission and reappointed Scott Brown and Thomas O’Brien to another three-year term;• recognized three police officers, J. Davis, J. Edwards, and T. Wanstreet, for life-saving efforts in the field;• approved a memorandum of understanding for the costs associated with sharing a SWAT-equipped vehicle with Chamblee, Brookhaven, and Doraville;• recognized 16 graduates of the recently completed Dunwoody Teen Police Academy;• heard a report from Dunwoody City Manager Eric Linton about activities within Dunwoody. The post Cost concerns raised over Dunwoody’s bridge enhancements at I-285 appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.