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Johns Creek staff recommends $10.2 million contract for Barnwell Road corridor improvements; council debates bike‑lane design
Summary
City staff recommended awarding a $10.2 million construction contract to Summit Construction for intersection and multimodal trail work on Barnwell Road; council debated adding 4‑foot on‑road bike lanes versus an 8‑ to 10‑foot off‑road trail and signaled a staff follow‑up to refine design and contract details.
City transportation staff on Sept. 8 recommended that the Johns Creek City Council approve a construction contract with Summit Construction for Barnwell Road Corridor Improvements, which would add intersection upgrades at Barnwell Road and Nibleck Drive and a multimodal trail between Nibleck Drive and North Peak Drive.
Director O'Connor told the council that the combined construction contract, construction engineering inspection (CEI) task order and a 10% contingency totaled $10,200,000 and that the project could be funded through TSPLOST II, LMIG dollars and an intergovernmental agreement with Fulton County that could reimburse up to $1,240,000 for utility relocations.
The project design calls for an on‑pavement 4‑foot bike lane on the west side of the road plus an 8‑foot shared trail behind curb and gutter. Council members debated whether to retain a dedicated asphalt bike lane in addition to the off‑road trail or to remove the on‑road lane to save costs and preserve tree canopy. One councilmember argued removing the on‑road lane and relying on the trail would “save hundreds of thousands of dollars,” while others said many cyclists prefer asphalt lanes and that the city’s adopted bike corridor policy supports dedicated on‑road lanes in some corridors.
Staff said the corridor work is anticipated to take about 18 months from notice to proceed and that some tree removal will be required but likely minimal in sections where easements already reduce canopy. Council asked whether redesigns (for example, removing the on‑road lane or widening the trail from 8 to 10 feet) could be handled as change orders, would require re‑engineering, or would trigger rebidding; staff said the answer depends on the scope and that they would return with options.
Council members indicated informal consensus around a compromise to preserve connectivity while limiting cost and tree impacts: exploring shared shoulders or narrower on‑road accommodations combined with a wider off‑road trail and asking staff to confer with the contractor and engineer about feasible adjustments within the low bid.
Staff will return with specific cost and scheduling implications if the council asks for design changes.
