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Stonecrest council members press staff to add reflectors on existing collector streets, not only future paving projects
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Summary
Council members and staff discussed a backlog of striping work orders and a long-running request to add raised reflectors on collector roads; staff said reflectors will be added under future paving contracts and by request, while council members pressed for immediate action on existing streets.
Councilwoman Tammy Grimes and other members of the TIPS Committee pressed city staff on July 9 for faster installation of roadway reflectors on existing collector streets, saying longtime safety concerns were being deferred until future paving projects. "That is totally not acceptable to what I've been asking for for well over two years," Councilwoman Tammy Grimes said.
The issue matters because reflectors and pavement markings help drivers keep lanes at night and on curves. Staff member Harry said the city has submitted striping work orders to DeKalb County for three locations — Panola Road (south of West Harrington), a section near Stonecrest Parkway by McDonald's, and Marbot Road — and is awaiting county completion. "We have submitted three work orders to the county for three locations, and then we are still waiting for them to complete those," Harry said.
Grimes and other council members repeatedly objected to staff language that said reflectors would be included in "future" paving contracts, saying that wording implies no immediate work on existing thoroughfares that are currently safe but poorly marked. Councilwoman Tara Graves asked staff to identify specific collector streets and to meet with council members to walk routes and verify locations that should receive reflectors now.
Staff explained the city follows the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) standards for reflector size and spacing and that reflectors are typically bundled into paving contracts executed by the contractor. Harry said reflectors can be added to streets that are in good condition outside paving cycles and that the city will include reflectors in the 2025 paving bid where appropriate.
Discussion (options and concerns): Committee members raised safety concerns for named streets including Oxbridge, Goddard, Rockland and Evans Mills; they emphasized collector roads rather than subdivision streets. Council members also flagged the difficulty of asking contractors to add reflectors on streets that soon will be repaved, which staff said would be inefficient.
Direction (assignments): Council members asked staff to compile a precise list of collector streets that currently lack reflectors and to schedule a ride-along or site visit with members who requested immediate action. Harry agreed to review the emailed list of candidate streets and resend it if it had not been received.
Formal action: No ordinance or motion specific to reflector installation was adopted during the July 9 meeting. Work orders for striping (without reflectors) were previously submitted to DeKalb County; staff said they will attempt to add reflectors to those orders pending county approval.
Ending: Council members asked staff to follow up with the mayor's contacts at DeKalb County and to return to the committee with a clarified plan identifying which streets will receive reflectors before the next paving cycle.
