Rockdale Citizen

CONYERS — Residents interested in bicycle and pedestrian improvements in the Hardin and O’Kelly streets corridor of the Central Conyers Activity Center are invited to an informational meeting Tuesday night at Nancy Guinn Memorial Library.

City of Conyers officials are hoping to get input from the public on the $4.6 million project that will create “complete streets,” which are designed to meet the needs of both pedestrians and cyclists.

The public information meeting is set for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the downstairs meeting room of the library, located at 864 Green St. Conyers officials and transportation engineers will be on hand to meet with residents and answer their questions. The meeting will cover the proposed engineering involved in making the streets “complete streets.”

“If someone is curious as to how this will generate connectivity and impact this area, we want them to come find out more about complete streets, let us answer their questions and address their concerns,” said Brad Sutton, director of Public Works and Transportation.

Conyers was one of 13 communities awarded with Livable Centers Initiative funds by the Atlanta Regional Commission to make LCI study areas more walkable and livable. The Central Conyers Activity Center, a 424-acre area bordered by Green Street, West Avenue, Dogwood Drive and Ga. Highway 138, is a previously designated LCI study area. The LCI program is funded with federal transportation dollars and communities must pay matching funds to help cover project costs.

According to the National Complete Streets Coalition website, complete streets “are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities must be able to safely move along and across a complete street. Complete streets make it easy to cross the street, walk to shops, and bicycle to work. … “

Hardin and O’Kelly streets intersect the existing Olde Town trail along Oakland Avenue that was dedicated on May 19, 2011.

The 1.9 mile-long trail begins at Nancy Guinn Memorial Library at Oakland and Green streets and ends at the Rockdale Career Academy on Parker Road.

Plans are in place to eventually connect Olde Town Conyers with Johnson Park and the South River Trail. The trail was built by a partnership between the city of Conyers, Rockdale County and PATH.

According to Sutton, the project is in the scoping phase. When approved by the ARC, the project will move forward into the engineering phase. Sutton said it would be several years before environmental analysis and engineering are completed as well as rights of way acquisition and the approval of construction by ARC. For more information on the Hardin and O’Kelly streets public information meeting, call 770-785-6690.