Johns Creek council authorizes $200,000 engineering study for Nesbitt Ferry trail after debate over 5-, 8- or 10-foot width

The Johns Creek City Council authorized a contract amendment worth $200,000 to fund engineering for a trail on the east side of Nesbitt Ferry Road, but councilors and residents sharply debated whether the final design should prioritize a 5-foot sidewalk, an 8-foot compromise, or the 10-foot multimodal trail described in the contract.

Director O'Connor told council the corridor plan originally calls for operational improvements and pedestrian connections and that the current contract language is written to design a 10-foot sidewalk while allowing narrower alternatives: "So right now the way it is written is for design a 10 foot sidewalk. If we if we design it for a 10 foot, that's the kind of the maximum width. If it is the will of counsel to look to go narrower in the future, we could certainly fit that within that plan set." He estimated the engineering phase at about 12 months and said initial drawings could be available to council in roughly four to six months.

Several council members urged that the engineering scope include explicit alternates so the city can compare cost, right-of-way impacts and community effects. "If 10 feet is not needed, definitely, we'll have the cost savings on the construction and also right of way and the inconvenience for the residents," a council member said, urging options for 5-, 8- and 10-foot sections. A motion to authorize the contract while adding alternates passed after discussion; the motion language included options for 5-foot and 8-foot sidewalks and retained the 10-foot option for comparison. "I'd like to make a motion... include options a and b, which is a 5 foot and an 8 foot sidewalk for this contract to go out for that," the mover said.

Residents who spoke during public comment pressed two recurring points: (1) narrower sidewalks (five feet) would be consistent with existing neighborhood sidewalks and reduce tree loss and impervious surface; and (2) separation between the sidewalk and the roadway matters for usability and safety. Director O'Connor acknowledged that the concept plan from the 2023 public process was high-level and that this engineering phase is the step at which the city will get parcel-level survey, property impacts and clearer right-of-way needs.

The council discussed whether to require the engineering contract to include utility relocation provisions and agreed the design team should evaluate utility impacts and potential provisions to minimize later disruption. Council members also asked staff to hold public meetings after engineering to review drawings and consider scaling back widths if the community prefers a narrower configuration.

The transcript does not include a roll-call tally for the motion; meeting dialogue indicates the motion was approved and staff will proceed with engineering and community engagement.