DeKalb commissioners approve start of petition process for Clifton Road traffic calming

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 28 approved a staff substitute to begin the 90-day petition process for traffic calming on Clifton Road between Ponce de Leon Avenue and North Decatur Road.

The petition will open the county’s codified traffic-calming process for the 1.5-mile stretch and, if the required signatures are collected, allow residents to vote on the installation of speed tables and related measures. Commissioner Michelle Long Spears, the presiding officer and District 2 commissioner, moved to approve the substitute; Commissioner Ted Terry seconded the motion and the board voted to approve it.

The substitute approved by staff adds one additional speed table on Clifton Ridge and removes two parcels (identified as 1610 and 1611) from the petition because they are owned by homeowners associations that do not pay county property taxes. County staff said the revised petition will cover 122 taxable parcels.

Neighborhood supporters, led by petition initiator Doug Rollins, told the board the process followed county code. “We started that process over two years ago. We have followed that process to the letter, and now we respectfully ask this board to let us demonstrate the support of over 65% of our neighbors,” Rollins said, noting the group had obtained a high level of early interest during their initial outreach.

Opponents raised concerns about emergency response times and impacts on through-traffic. William Helms, a 49-year resident of Clifton Road, urged the board to pause for a formal evaluation of how speed tables affect ambulances, saying additional seconds per device could matter in life‑threatening situations. Patricia Delk, who lives on Clifton Road, asked the board to commission a professional study of the entire corridor because of Emory University Hospital traffic and future growth in the area.

County transportation staff told the board the study that qualified the corridor for the traffic-calming program focused on cut-through traffic and that different calming devices — including speed cushions as an alternative to full tables — had been discussed with neighbors. Staff also said the county’s earlier review showed speed tables typically contribute roughly 3–5 seconds of additional travel time per table for large emergency vehicles, and that measures installed must remain in place for one year before they may be petitioned for removal.

The board’s vote advances the petition process; the petition phase, if successful, leads to a formal resident vote. Commissioners and staff said they expect more public outreach, including planned town‑hall style opportunities to review the plan and alternatives.

The approved substitute and staff presentation are recorded on the meeting agenda as item 2024‑1447 (substitute dated 1/28/25).