Ellijay City Councilmembers gave a landscape architecture design firm the go-ahead to start working on plans to improve the general roundabout area, as well as pedestrian safety downtown, when meeting Monday, April 19.
Madie Fischetti, a landscape architect and planner with Athens-based WLA Studio, briefed the council on the forthcoming multiphase project. The architecture firm was formerly the Jaeger Company, which handled design of the downtown roundabout project in 2000.
This project will focus on ways to improve the roundabout, including preventing recurring damage to the traffic circle curbing and updating shrubbery that leads pedestrians through crosswalks, Fischetti noted.
“It’s not a redesign or reconfiguration. The roundabout has deteriorated in appearance and it needs a facelift,” said Mayor Al Hoyle. “We’ve got a section that’s broken right now on the south side of the square. It’s in an area (where) trucks have a hard time making that turn. The other thing is the safety issues on North Main. This is part of that, too. They’re going to look at North Main and try to make it safer for pedestrians.”
Fischetti said the work will be broken into three different parts that all go together. Input will be given from the city council and others about what areas need to be looked at in terms of safety issues.
“I anticipate there might be additional construction projects you all want to do. Part of this is talking to you and talking to the public and finding out the wants and needs of the city so we can come up with a better scope,” Fischetti said. “We would anticipate getting some public input and making sure everybody is on board with different options before we go forward.”
Fischetti noted that new construction will require input from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), as Highway 52 is a state route.
“If we’re doing anything that involves a GDOT route, we’re going to need some new survey(s). If we do need to go through with any GDOT permitting, that can slow things down,” she added.
The project talk comes after councilmember Tom Crawford, at a February meeting, asked his fellow councilmembers and Hoyle to consider a comprehensive traffic study to see if improvements like additional crosswalks should be looked at to improve pedestrian safety in downtown Ellijay.
“The increased pedestrian traffic we have is a great thing. I think it’s fantastic. It’s also incumbent on us to look out for the safety of not only our citizens but our guests,” said Crawford at that meeting.
In other news ...
﹣ A city distillery ordinance was passed upon its second reading. The ordinance, similar to existing city ordinances for breweries and wineries, includes permitting and operating procedures for liquor distilleries and microdistilleries.
﹣ Councilmembers approved three special event permits for events where alcohol will be served.
Taste of Ellijay, presented by the Gilmer Chamber, will return to downtown Ellijay Thursday, May 27. The other two events will take place at Harrison Park.
An installment of live music program Acoustic Blends is scheduled for Friday, May 21, and Dining With Fireflies, a farm-to-table fundraiser for Harrison Park, will be held Saturday, June 26.