Alpharetta Looks for Shortcuts to Open Westside Parkway Earlier

Alpharetta might hold a special meeting to make sure the last phase of Westside Parkway opens more quickly. Engineering/Public Works Director Pete Sewcwicz told City Council that they are looking to open the road as soon as possible.

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has allocated $849,898.50 to complete Westside Parkway between Old Milton Parkway and Webb Bridge Road.

Sewcwicz said project documents might be available as soon as Thursday for potential bidders.

Rather than wait for traffic signal mast arms to be delivered–which will take four months–he said they plan to install temporary signals until the mast arms can be delivered. The earliest construction might start would be April, Sewcwicz said. The project must be advertised for 30 days.

Once bids are in, if there are no glaring errors, he said they will be back to at the next council meeting to present the bid recommendation.

"Pete, we may have a special meeting just to keep that moving forward," said Mayor David Belle Isle.

Sewcwicz said they have to get the OK from GDOT to move ahead with "shortcuts." To open the road more quickly, he said they are considering finishing the roadway before installing sidewalks and streetlights.

While the section of roadway for Westside from Webb Bridge to just short of the Old Milton intersection may look complete, it isn't ready for traffic.

"There's a lot of work to be done at the intersection," Sewcwicz said.

At Old Milton and Westside, dual left turns need to be installed at each quadrant, he said. Some grading needs to be done along Westside Parkway. And near the Webb Bridge intersection, some remediation has to be done on the asphalt, where it has to be milled down four inches to bring the roadway to standards.

Most of the cost is at the Old Milton intersection.

City Councilman Chris Owens said this schedule puts the city in better weather. Before April 1 weather patterns are crazy, he said.

The North Fulton Community Improvement District has funded right of way acquisition for the roadway.