Dear Neighbors,
We at the City of Milton are constantly working to make traveling in Milton safer for all of us. Over the past year we have worked with city staff to pursue several different venues to achieve this goal. These included the reduction of speed limits on roadways within Milton, the application of a Safe Routes to School grant, the creation of an Intersection Improvement Committee to look at two specific intersections, and traffic calming alternatives for roads within subdivisions in Milton.
Based on the letters and emails we received from Milton residents, the city applied for and received approval from the Georgia Department of Transportation to lower the speed limit on several roads within Milton. This included lowering the speed limit on all or parts of Green Road, Bethany Road, Freemanville Road, Francis Road, Cogburn Road and Bethany Bend Road to 40 mph. The speed limit on Ranchette Road was also lowered from 40 to 35 mph.
I am also very excited to share some news I learned yesterday. The city of Milton was successful and has been awarded the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grant money for our District by the Georgia Department of Transportation. Although the exact details of the amount awarded and the actual projects that will be included is still not known, this is very positive news for all of us in Milton and will help to insure safe travel around two of our school zones.
The City, in partnership with Crabapple Crossing Elementary School, Northwestern Middle School and Summit Hill Elementary School, applied for a grant through the Safe Routes to School program, a program created in 2008 by the federal transportation bill. The Program's goal is to increase the number of children who bicycle and walk to school. Benefits of the Program include: reduced congestion and increased safety near participating schools; reduced air pollution in route to and near participating schools; and increased physical activity of children.
Milton's actual grant application was for approximately $500,000 and covered installation of new sections of sidewalk along Crabapple Road which will complete the sidewalk from Crabapple Crossroads to Green Road; installation of a new section of sidewalk on Birmingham Highway across from Northwestern Middle School; installation of new sidewalk on Kensington Farms Drive; raised crosswalks at Northwestern Middle School; safety signage for both Crabapple Crossing and Summit Hill; a gravel trail on Providence Road connecting existing sidewalk in front of Summit Hill Elementary to Cowart Road; a gravel trail connecting Freemanville Road to Summit Road; and a gravel trail on Redd Road connecting existing sidewalk on Thompson Road to Brittle Road.
In addition, the Intersection Improvement Committee was established in December 2008. This seven-member committee was formed to provide input and recommendations on plans for the intersections of Birmingham Highway at Providence Road and Arnold Mill Road and New Providence Road. The committee will be working with a consultant, Street Smarts Inc., in development of concept plans for the improvement of both of those intersections.
In January the City Council met with citizens from our open-road neighborhoods to discuss traffic calming on those roads. At our May work session, the Mayor and City Council explored various traffic calming alternatives for subdivisions requesting traffic calming for specific streets within each subdivision. We discussed the parameters that will be used to determine qualifications and to assess and prioritize the needs for each street. We look forward to implementing this program in the very near future.
The City Council, along with our city staff continue to work to make traveling in Milton safer for everyone. This includes all modes of transportation: walking, biking, horseback riding and automobile travel. Please check the city of Milton website at www.cityofmiltonga.us for further updates on the SRTS grant, the Intersection Improvement Committee's meeting schedule and traffic calming initiatives for both subdivisions and open-road neighborhoods.
If you have ideas of concerns about Milton and and our efforts to ensure your safety while travelling within our city limits, please write me at thurman4milton@yahoo.com. Thank you for allowing me to serve you and the needs of our community. It is an honor and a privilege to do so.
Sincerely,
Karen C. Thurman
5 comments:
4 years later and finally Milton residents are honored with communication and news from Ms. Thurman. I believe Councilman Lusk has also got active on the communication front of late!
Couldn't possibly be something to do with seeking re-election could it?
Based on the picture it looks like the city is going to the dogs!
Well I dont know who has the bigger one, but I can guarantee you one thing, Julie Zaner Bailey wears enough make-up to cover both of them!
I know I will ote for her cause I like the dog!
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