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Box 13, Folder 8, Document 55
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Text
Sia
inh Bayi
ii a .
: <a ee =
700 CITY HALL
Atlanta, Georgia
aes,
WYONT B. BEAN . “Ti
PLANNING ENGINGER ae . ;
COLLIER 8. GLAODIN
CHIEF PLANNER
To; Mayor Allen ; Date:
From: Wyont Bean
Ray Nixon
Karl Bevins 7
Subject: The Alignment of the Southwest Connector.
During the month of September, 1964, Alderman
ny, aL: Ger nee fr
f= 6S =f
Ae CITY OF ATLANTA
DEPARTMENT of PLANNING .~7 0200
ES Od coor ae Fos
October 5, 1964
Jack Summers and a
_ representative of Fulton County Public Works Department, Mr. McGeorge,
met with the residents of the neighborhood which is generally located
in the Westview Drive, Lawton Street, and the L & N Railroad area to
ee
discuss the relocation of a new street connector.
The project in question is the $1,700,000 Southwest Connector, a
1963 Fulton County Bond Project, which was for the
construction of a new
four lane connector between Cascade Road - Gordon Road and the four lane
Marietta Boulevard. This included an interchange with the West Expressway
which will relieve serious traffic problems on Northside Drive and the
entire west side of Atlanta.
The general subject of Alderman Summers’ meeting was that the home-
owners felt that this project, if developed as planned, would destroy
the neighborhood they had worked so hard to develop. They felt that the
other alternatives should be considered. Some of the suggestions were to
align this roadway with Ashby Street, another was to develop the roadway
either over the L & N Railroad or within the railroad right-of-way thereby
eliminating that section of track. Still another suggestion was to generally
. follow along the west side of the L & N Railroad.
At the request of Alderman Jack Summers, on Tuesday, September 22, 1964,
a delegation of approximately twenty five residents of the Westview Drive,
Fountain Drive, and Hunter Place led by Senator LeRoy Johnson, Mr. and Mrs.
G. L. Chandler, and Mr. M. L. Goss met with Mr. Karl Bevins, Mr. Wyont Bean,
and Mr. Collier Gladin and presented their views.
The main purpose of the
Bee) cea
Cectoser 5, 1964
Page 2
citizens present was a request to relocate the facility « 60 as not to
affect those present and the comsunity of their interest, and if the
officials present could not accomplish this change, to whom could they
appeal. The officials present requested time to consider this viev.
After further investigation, this paper vas prepared to represent
the findings of the Construction, Planning and Traffic Engineering
Departments.
The Joint Atlanta-Fulton County Bond Program, which was approved
by the people May 15, 1963, provided the funds to begin this connector
road which was first planned during or prior to the second world war. a
During this time, the development of a large number of apartments in the f
vicinity of Simpson Road, the interchange with the West Expressway, and
the underpass with Westview Drive, which is now under construction, have
limited the possibilities to two alternatives. First, the alignment which
is generally along and adjacent to the east side of the L & N Railroad
right-of-way from Cascade - Gordon north to Marietta Boulevard. The second
would be paralleling the east side of the railroad north from Gordon Road
to a point just north of Westview Drive then bridging over the railroad
and generally being aligned and adjacent to the west right-of-way line of
the railroad, then recrossing the railroad north of Bankhead Avenue. Either
of these alternatives would therefore follow a facility which presently
forms the boundary line of. several neighborhoods. To vary away from the ;
railroad would further split and destroy the unity of adjacent neighborhoods.’
In taking a close look at this connector, you find that it will be the
extension south of Marietta Boulevard and on further south you find the .
underpass at Westview Drive, which is under construction, and the underpass
and ramps of the West Expressway which is also under construction. The
most direct route between these restrictive points is the general align-
ment along the L & N Railroad. In deciding which side of the railroad
right-of-way will be less damaging on the adjacent neighborhoods and
individual families effected and which side will be the most economical
use of the tax payers dollar, we must consider that the general alignment
along the west side of the railroad will effect approximately twice as
many families and will require three wajor crossings of rail facilities
while the general location along the east side will effect fewer families
and require the crossing of only one rail facility. Also considering that
in addition to this four lane. southwest connector in the future will require
the widening of Ashby Street where provision have already been made in the
development of the West Expressway and the Ashby Street interchange for this
future widening. Considering the large number of industries and commercial
activities that require railroad for supply that it would not be possible
to eliminate this rail facility and the great expense and engineering problen
Bhat. weuld\be incurred developing an elevated roadway over the L & NW right-|
of-way. : yd Sens c
, ‘ . !
monet ty al
va As rr 4
-
Memorandum
October 5, 1964
Page 3
After further weighing these facts, the City of Atlanta feels that t z
the physical, economic, and social aspects of this dovelopment have been
thoroughly reconsidered and that it would not be to the cities best interest
in requesting ea change im the general alignesnt of the southwest connector
along the east side of the L & N Railroad right-of-way. Further, that
since this fe a FPultom County project, i¢ will be the county responsibility
for specific lecatica ef this rie as based on detail ape ssenr ine ree \
quirements. | ; bat: hes os
a re rt ee eee
inh Bayi
ii a .
: <a ee =
700 CITY HALL
Atlanta, Georgia
aes,
WYONT B. BEAN . “Ti
PLANNING ENGINGER ae . ;
COLLIER 8. GLAODIN
CHIEF PLANNER
To; Mayor Allen ; Date:
From: Wyont Bean
Ray Nixon
Karl Bevins 7
Subject: The Alignment of the Southwest Connector.
During the month of September, 1964, Alderman
ny, aL: Ger nee fr
f= 6S =f
Ae CITY OF ATLANTA
DEPARTMENT of PLANNING .~7 0200
ES Od coor ae Fos
October 5, 1964
Jack Summers and a
_ representative of Fulton County Public Works Department, Mr. McGeorge,
met with the residents of the neighborhood which is generally located
in the Westview Drive, Lawton Street, and the L & N Railroad area to
ee
discuss the relocation of a new street connector.
The project in question is the $1,700,000 Southwest Connector, a
1963 Fulton County Bond Project, which was for the
construction of a new
four lane connector between Cascade Road - Gordon Road and the four lane
Marietta Boulevard. This included an interchange with the West Expressway
which will relieve serious traffic problems on Northside Drive and the
entire west side of Atlanta.
The general subject of Alderman Summers’ meeting was that the home-
owners felt that this project, if developed as planned, would destroy
the neighborhood they had worked so hard to develop. They felt that the
other alternatives should be considered. Some of the suggestions were to
align this roadway with Ashby Street, another was to develop the roadway
either over the L & N Railroad or within the railroad right-of-way thereby
eliminating that section of track. Still another suggestion was to generally
. follow along the west side of the L & N Railroad.
At the request of Alderman Jack Summers, on Tuesday, September 22, 1964,
a delegation of approximately twenty five residents of the Westview Drive,
Fountain Drive, and Hunter Place led by Senator LeRoy Johnson, Mr. and Mrs.
G. L. Chandler, and Mr. M. L. Goss met with Mr. Karl Bevins, Mr. Wyont Bean,
and Mr. Collier Gladin and presented their views.
The main purpose of the
Bee) cea
Cectoser 5, 1964
Page 2
citizens present was a request to relocate the facility « 60 as not to
affect those present and the comsunity of their interest, and if the
officials present could not accomplish this change, to whom could they
appeal. The officials present requested time to consider this viev.
After further investigation, this paper vas prepared to represent
the findings of the Construction, Planning and Traffic Engineering
Departments.
The Joint Atlanta-Fulton County Bond Program, which was approved
by the people May 15, 1963, provided the funds to begin this connector
road which was first planned during or prior to the second world war. a
During this time, the development of a large number of apartments in the f
vicinity of Simpson Road, the interchange with the West Expressway, and
the underpass with Westview Drive, which is now under construction, have
limited the possibilities to two alternatives. First, the alignment which
is generally along and adjacent to the east side of the L & N Railroad
right-of-way from Cascade - Gordon north to Marietta Boulevard. The second
would be paralleling the east side of the railroad north from Gordon Road
to a point just north of Westview Drive then bridging over the railroad
and generally being aligned and adjacent to the west right-of-way line of
the railroad, then recrossing the railroad north of Bankhead Avenue. Either
of these alternatives would therefore follow a facility which presently
forms the boundary line of. several neighborhoods. To vary away from the ;
railroad would further split and destroy the unity of adjacent neighborhoods.’
In taking a close look at this connector, you find that it will be the
extension south of Marietta Boulevard and on further south you find the .
underpass at Westview Drive, which is under construction, and the underpass
and ramps of the West Expressway which is also under construction. The
most direct route between these restrictive points is the general align-
ment along the L & N Railroad. In deciding which side of the railroad
right-of-way will be less damaging on the adjacent neighborhoods and
individual families effected and which side will be the most economical
use of the tax payers dollar, we must consider that the general alignment
along the west side of the railroad will effect approximately twice as
many families and will require three wajor crossings of rail facilities
while the general location along the east side will effect fewer families
and require the crossing of only one rail facility. Also considering that
in addition to this four lane. southwest connector in the future will require
the widening of Ashby Street where provision have already been made in the
development of the West Expressway and the Ashby Street interchange for this
future widening. Considering the large number of industries and commercial
activities that require railroad for supply that it would not be possible
to eliminate this rail facility and the great expense and engineering problen
Bhat. weuld\be incurred developing an elevated roadway over the L & NW right-|
of-way. : yd Sens c
, ‘ . !
monet ty al
va As rr 4
-
Memorandum
October 5, 1964
Page 3
After further weighing these facts, the City of Atlanta feels that t z
the physical, economic, and social aspects of this dovelopment have been
thoroughly reconsidered and that it would not be to the cities best interest
in requesting ea change im the general alignesnt of the southwest connector
along the east side of the L & N Railroad right-of-way. Further, that
since this fe a FPultom County project, i¢ will be the county responsibility
for specific lecatica ef this rie as based on detail ape ssenr ine ree \
quirements. | ; bat: hes os
a re rt ee eee
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