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Building & Construction
Tucker, Ga., sets sights on major improvements
By MARY JANE BOGLE | The Municipal
Tucker, Ga., has only officially been incorporated for five years, but this rapidly growing city is already gearing up for some major building projects. Working with two area community improvement districts, the city has begun planning for up to 40 transportation improvements along the heavily trafficked Mountain Industrial Boulevard. It has also developed plans to enhance its pedestrianfriendly downtown as well. Mountain Industrial Boulevard Dramatic growth in the past 10 years, thanks to active manufacturing, logistics and hightech industries, has turned this city street into a major corridor. According to Ken Hildebrandt, Tucker’s city engineer, Mountain Industrial Boulevard sees up to 45,000 vehicles per day, including several large tractor-trailers.
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This growth has created the need for some serious upgrades to roadways and intersections, as Emory Morsberger, president of the Tucker Summit Community Improvement District, explained. “One of our primary goals is to improve freight and traffic flow,” he said, “as well as increase safety at key intersections.” That’s why, in partnership with the Atlanta
ABOVE: New lights and benches are one way Tucker has improved its downtown area to enhance pedestrian use. (Photo provided)
Regional Commission, TSCID and Tucker conducted a yearlong freight study. The results confirmed their suspicions: The Mountain Industrial Boulevard needed some major improvements to keep up with recent growth. Creating greater turning radii for tractor-trailers, adding longer right- and left-turn lanes and installing intelligent traffic signals to improve traffic flow are top priorities. In addition, working with the Georgia Department of Transportation and TSCID, Tucker plans to increase interstate ramp capacity in an effort to improve the way tractor-trailers access Mountain Industrial Boulevard. These changes will enhance safety as well as traffic flow.
