The Decatur Minute

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Atlanta Gas Light is retiring a large diameter pipeline that runs under several streets in the City of Decatur. The work in Decatur is part of a longer pipeline that runs approximately 28 miles from Riverdale to the intersection of Clairmont Road and Buford Highway. The pipeline being retired or taken out of service dates back to the 1950s. It was replaced with a new pipeline – the Eastside Pipeline – that went into service in early 2014. There is currently no gas on the old pipeline but to completely retire it, it must be filled with concrete or “grouted” under roadways.

The preparatory work for grouting in Decatur has already been completed on E. College Avenue and Sycamore Drive. It is now expected to begin on Candler Road/Street as soon as the week of July 6 and could last up to 4 weeks for the entire process. The work will require temporary lane/road closures and commuters should expect traffic delays for 2-3 days at a time during the retirement process.
General locations of affected areas on Candler Road/Street are:

• Past Hosea Williams Drive (City of Atlanta)
• Before Driftwood Terrace
• Past Buchanan Terrace
• Near E. Davis Street
• E. Davis Street at Candler Street will be closed
• Near E. Dougherty Street
•E. Dougherty Street at Candler Street will be closed
• Before E. College Avenue

Appropriate traffic control will be in place at active work sites and Atlanta Gas Light is coordinating with the City on traffic control measures and communications to neighborhoods in the vicinity of work sites. Local residents are encouraged to use alternate routes where possible during the grouting. Work will be performed during permitted daylight hours Monday through Saturday.

Retirement under roadways is multi-step process and different activities may be happening at the same time in more than one location. Activities include:

Excavations
•“Grout” points are dug up in the road approximately every 1000 -1500 feet
• Excavation sites are about the width of a traffic lane and may be up to 25 feet long
• Generally occur 3-6 days before the line is filled with concrete
• Grout points are plated when not in use
• Multiple grout points allow process to move more efficiently

Grouting
• Several concrete mixers per day will arrive at a grout point to pump concrete into the pipe
• Grouting cannot be stopped once it is started
• Grouting generally lasts the full work day

Restoration
• Once a grout point is no longer needed, the excavation will be filled with concrete
• The sites will be paved once all work on a street is completed
• Disturbed areas in the right of

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Wet weather continues to be a challenge. CMES, the general contractor, has generally completed curb and sidewalk improvements on the northeast side of East Lake Drive and is making progress on the stone retaining wall along Oakview Road at the Old Scottish Rite property. Weather permitting, the contractor will start work next week (April 17) on the west side of Oakview Road near West Benson Street and move towards Mead Road.

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GS Construction has generally completed curbing and sidewalk improvements on the west side of Church Street up to East Maple Street. Next week, weather permitting,  work will continue north of Maple up to East Trinity Place. Once this phase is finished, the contractor will drop back to East Howard and build new curbing on the east side of Church St., moving in a northerly direction up to Trinity. After the new curb line is established, Georgia Power will relocate utility poles along the east side of Church.

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MARTA will be doing subsurface testing  in downtown Decatur around the intersection of Church St. and Sycamore St. from Monday, April 6 – Saturday, April 11 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

While cars will be able to travel in the area during this time, some on-street parking spaces will be unavailable.

A bit more detail about the work, from MARTA’s plans:

The field investigation that the MARTA Geotechnical Consulting Team (GCT) has proposed will consist of using dye testing, ground penetrating radar (GPR), hammer drills, probing, and remote camera inspection of sewers to investigate the subsurface beneath the pavement near the north and south edges of the MARTA subway box.

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Due to an ongoing accident investigation this morning, please avoid the Trinity Place and College Avenue intersection.

Updates to follow.

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It’s Georgia Telework Week! From GACommuteOptions.com: 

March 2-6 marks the sixth annual Georgia Telework Week — now aligned with National Telework Week. Celebrate by exploring the benefits of eliminating your drive to and from work together.

Teleworking doesn’t have to be an everyday thing. It doesn’t even have to be an every week thing. By crafting a plan that works for you, your lifestyle, and your company, you can make telework part of a larger business strategy that can save on facilities and parking, increase employee productivity and morale, and enhance retention and recruitment.

So, what’s happening during Georgia Telework Week? We’ve got the details for you here:

• Make the Commitment: Every company that commits to Telework Week will have the chance to be featured on a Georgia Commute Options billboard in April. Check back during Telework Week to make your commitment!
• Free webinars: Attend one of four free webinars to learn more about teleworking. Find the one that’s just right for you! The password for all webinars is telework.
  • Monday, March 2: For the teleworker/commuter
  • Tuesday, March 3: For the telemanager
  • Wednesday, March 4: Business Continuity through Telework
  • Thursday, March 5: State Agency Telework Training
• Photo Contest: Follow Georgia Commute Options on Twitter and Instagram (@gacommute) and participate in our #MyTelework Photo Challenge. One lucky winner will have his or her photo featured on a billboard in Metro Atlanta and receive a $50 prize. Learn more about participatinghere.
• Win $25: Log your telework days for the chance to win $25 in our monthly drawing. 1 in 10 win!
• Spotlight stories: Check out the Georgia Commute Options blog each day for teleworker stories, company spotlights, and infographics on all the different ways a telework program can boost productivity and lower costs.

Commit to Georgia Telework Week. Commit to being the solution.

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Note:

The Safe Routes to School crossing for E. Trinity Place will be moved this Monday (2/23).

What will change:

In order to accommodate pending construction on Church Street and ongoing construction at the Trinity Triangle project (E. Trinity Place and E. Howard Street), the City will maintain a Safe Routes to School Crossing near the PATH Foundation trail across Trinity Place.  See the map for location.

To and From the new temporary Safe Routes to School Crossing:

1.            If you are coming from points north of E. Trinity Place/Church Street…use the N. McDonough Street /E. Trinity Place crosswalk at City Hall in order to get to the High School, Agnes Scott College or Renfroe Middle School.

2.            If you are coming from points south of E. College Street/Candler Street…cross the railroad tracks on the west side of Candler Street and take the new temporary crosswalk on E. Trinity Place near the intersection of the PATH Foundation trail/E. Howard Street.

3.            If you are coming from points east of E. Trinity Street/E. Howard Street…use the new temporary crosswalk on Trinity and keep going on the PATH Foundation trail to get to High School, Agnes Scott College or Renfroe Middle School.

For additional information:

Contact John Maximuk, Design, Environment & Construction Division of Public Works at 678.553.6570 or John.Maximuk@Decaturga.com

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GS Construction of Lawrenceville began pre-construction activities (surveying, pavement testing, erosion control, etc.) this week.

The initial construction activity is focused on installing several curb inlets and small storm drainage lines that connect to the main storm sewer in Church Street. Two-way traffic will be maintained during the work, with flaggers and temporary traffic control in the immediate areas where the storm drainage construction is taking place. On-street parking will be limited in the immediate area of construction.

• Curb inlets will be installed at the following addresses:
• 102 Church Street
• 108 Church Street
• 120 Church Street
• 132 Church Street
• 211 East Trinity Place (SW corner of Twain’s)

Once the storm drainage work on Church Street is completed, GS will begin construction of new curbing, sidewalks and driveways on the west side of Church Street between Trinity and Howard.

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