FLOWERY BRANCH — Although it has maintained its small-town charm, the fact of the matter is that Flowery Branch’s population continues to grow.
More residents means more vehicles on the roads and more stress on the city’s infrastructure. City officials currently are conducting a transportation study in the downtown area to determine possible improvements, and on Thursday the city hosted a community involvement meeting to get input from residents.
“Something really needs to be done to help (drivers) get from Phil Niekro (Boulevard) to McEver Road,” said Phil Collins, who lives in Flowery Branch with wife Karen Collins.
The areas that Collins mentioned are included in the study area, which is bordered on the north by McEver Road and to the south by Mulberry Street. Flowery Branch’s roads are based on a grid, but if drivers want to head from McEver Road to the downtown area — or vice versa — there isn’t a straight shot. To reach the destination, drivers have to make a series of twists and turns down roads that can make navigating complex and not always user-friendly.
“It can be very confusing at times. One section of the road will be a one way, but then it becomes a two-way street,” said Karen Collins, who was born and raised in Flowery Branch.
During the public meeting, residents were asked to do things such as identify areas where there are traffic, congestion or safety issues.
The information gathered during the meeting will help planners identify areas to concentrate on and gather more specific data for the transportation study. Among other things, the study will assess current and future needs, and also identify funding strategies. The study is expected to be completed by February.
More residents means more vehicles on the roads and more stress on the city’s infrastructure. City officials currently are conducting a transportation study in the downtown area to determine possible improvements, and on Thursday the city hosted a community involvement meeting to get input from residents.
“Something really needs to be done to help (drivers) get from Phil Niekro (Boulevard) to McEver Road,” said Phil Collins, who lives in Flowery Branch with wife Karen Collins.
The areas that Collins mentioned are included in the study area, which is bordered on the north by McEver Road and to the south by Mulberry Street. Flowery Branch’s roads are based on a grid, but if drivers want to head from McEver Road to the downtown area — or vice versa — there isn’t a straight shot. To reach the destination, drivers have to make a series of twists and turns down roads that can make navigating complex and not always user-friendly.
“It can be very confusing at times. One section of the road will be a one way, but then it becomes a two-way street,” said Karen Collins, who was born and raised in Flowery Branch.
During the public meeting, residents were asked to do things such as identify areas where there are traffic, congestion or safety issues.
The information gathered during the meeting will help planners identify areas to concentrate on and gather more specific data for the transportation study. Among other things, the study will assess current and future needs, and also identify funding strategies. The study is expected to be completed by February.