Peachtree Dunwoody Road and Lake Hearn Drive Connectivity Improvements

Project Status: Design

A public open house was held on February 28, 2024 at Palisades Office Park.

A survey is now open until March 13, 2024, to collect feedback. The survey can be found here (opens in new tab).

Public comment will be accepted until March 13, 2024, and can be submitted to: communications@sandyspringsga.gov

Proposed Improvements

The project corridor is approximately 0.5 miles: 0.2 miles along Lake Hearn Drive and 0.3 miles along Peachtree Dunwoody Road. The proposed work on Lake Hearn Drive begins at the intersection with Peachtree Dunwoody Road and extends east to Altmore Avenue. The proposed work on Peachtree Dunwoody Road begins at the intersection with Lake Hearn Drive north and ties in near the intersection with Hammond Drive.

The project proposes widening and repaving Lake Hearn Drive to allow for a left turn lane, through-left lane, and a right turn lane at the intersection with Peachtree Dunwoody Road. A 24-inch curb and gutter, a 5-ft grass/landscaping strip, and a 10-ft multi-use concrete path with a 1-ft landscaping strip behind it are proposed on the north side of Lake Hearn Drive, from the intersection east to the Commons Office entrance. On the south side of Lake Hearn Drive, a 24-inch curb and gutter, a 2-ft grass strip, and a 6-ft concrete sidewalk with 1-ft grass landscaping strip behind it are proposed from the Peachtree Dunwoody intersection east to the office complex west of Altmore Avenue.

A 12-ft multi-use path is proposed on the west side of Peachtree Dunwoody Road tying in on the south to the path recently constructed by the Transform I-285 project and tying in on the north to the intersection at Hammond Drive. South of Concourse Parkway, the width of landscaping in front of and behind the path varies along the corridor. North of Concourse Parkway, a 5-inch landscape strip between the back of curb and the path is proposed.

The project is being funded by federal funds being administered by the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) through MARTA and the City of Sandy Springs with local matching funds being provided by the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts.

Need and Purpose

This project will reduce congestion at the intersection of Peachtree Dunwoody Road and Lake Hearn Drive in the vicinity of the I-285 interchange ramps while also improving bicycle and pedestrian connectivity and safety.

There is insufficient intersection capacity and turn-lane storage for vehicles entering Peachtree Dunwoody Road from Lake Hearn Drive, resulting in significant congestion on Lake Hearn Drive. This congestion can impact emergency vehicle access between Northside and St. Joseph's hospitals and I-285. The project will improve the operation by increasing intersection capacity and reducing overall congestion at the Peachtree Dunwoody Road and Lake Hearn Road intersection.

The roadway, bicycle, and pedestrian network in the superblock of roads between the Medical Center and Dunwoody MARTA transit stations is currently inadequate – with operational inefficiencies, insufficient intersection capacity, and intermittent facilities for non-vehicular travel. The connectivity, congestion, and operational issues were identified through community outreach and via input from MARTA, SRTA, and municipal partners, including Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, and Brookhaven.

There are currently no bicycle facilities on Lake Hearn Drive, Hammond Drive, or Peachtree Dunwoody Road. The sidewalks along Peachtree Dunwoody Road and Lake Hearn Drive are continuous only on the west and south sides of each road, respectively.

Existing Conditions

Peachtree Dunwoody Road is a primarily four-lane north–south urban minor arterial with turn lanes at intersections and a posted speed of 35 mph. From I-285 to Concourse Parkway and from Concourse Parkway to Hammond Drive, there are raised medians separating the lanes from the opposite direction of travel.

There is currently no sidewalk on the east side of Peachtree Dunwoody Road between the I-285 overpass and Palisades Office Park. There is no continuous sidewalk on the west side of the road from I-285 continuing north to Concourse Parkway, where it picks back up on both sides and continues past Hammond Drive. As part of the Transform I-285 Project, Georgia DOT recently completed construction of a 6-foot sidewalk on the east side of Peachtree Dunwoody Road and a 12-foot multi-use path on the west side from Lake Hearn Drive north under I-285.

Lake Hearn Drive is a two-lane east–west major collector with a speed limit of 35 mph and left turn lanes at intersections. There is an existing 5-foot sidewalk on the south side of the road with no landscape strip separation from the back of curb. On the north side of the road, there is no sidewalk between Peachtree Dunwoody Road and the Commons Office Complex. A 10-foot multi-use path was recently constructed in front of the Commons, ending at Altmore Avenue. East of Altmore Avenue, there is sidewalk on both sides of Lake Hearn, east to the City Limits and into Brookhaven and the intersection with Perimeter Center Parkway.