ATLANTA — Brenda Pruitt relies on her scooter to get around Buckhead, where she's lived since 2018. Sometimes, her top speed of five miles per hour betas standstill traffic. Other times, even leaving her driveway can turn into a game of risk.
"Me on my four wheels and them on theirs," Pruitt said. "They win every time. They frequently don't look to see who's trying to get across, so I've almost been run over God knows how many times."
The traffic congestion is certainly an issue that's been on Jim Durrett's mind the last few years. He's the executive director of the Buckhead Community Improvement District. The Buckhead CID is a governmental entity that taxes commercial properties and makes improvements in the area to enhance it. Durrett said people have reported having problems getting out of their driveways at certain times of the day.
“It’s pretty difficult to get around many places in Atlanta," Durrett said. "We’ve been growing so much. But getting across into Buckhead from the I-75 corridor is particularly concerning because you’re coming through neighborhood streets, and they weren’t designed for a commute style of traffic. It's gotten to a tipping point."
Atlanta City Council could soon vote to form a traffic task force if legislation proposed by District 8 Councilwoman Mary Norwood passes a committee. Durrett would be part of that team to better understand what's driving the gridlock and figure out some solutions.
“A study needs to be done so that you can better understand the problem," Durrett said. "Any solution you’re coming up with needs to be based in an accurate assessment of what the problem is, what the data are from measuring different things, and then you can take a look at better understanding the problem. It’s not just anecdotal; it’s not just what I’m experiencing just on this street or that street. Then, you’re better able to come up with a solution to the problem. We just want to make sure we’re not pulling out a sledgehammer when we should be tapping on a tack.”
Whether it's improving sidewalks, adding more traffic calming devices or leaning more on public transit, Janelle Bailey knows when it comes to traffic, minutes matter.
“They need to fix this if they want to have more people working these jobs and to feel comfortable and safe on the road, you have to do something with the infrastructure," Bailey said.
Bailey and Pruitt hope solutions roll in soon. The first hurdle for the task force comes on April 24, when the city council transportation committee takes a look at the legislation. If it makes it out of committee, the measure would go before the full council for a vote on May 9. If passed, the measure could take effect as soon as May 28.