Emma Swales
The City of Carrollton has been awarded a $9.2 million grant through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as part of the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) program. This funding will enhance Maple Street, making it a safer and more accessible route for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.
This grant marks the largest ever received by the City of Carrollton and will be used to fund Project Maple Street. The project will address critical infrastructure improvements to this well-traveled road, creating a safer route for students walking from campus to downtown Adamson Square. Carrollton City Planner Hayley Beaver notes that Maple Street has become a significant safety concern for students and pedestrians, emphasizing that enhancing walkability has been a key goal in advancing the city’s infrastructure.
“We have actually had commercial corridor improvement as a priority for the city of Carrollton since 2017,” said Beaver. “Our goal is to reduce speeding. Maple Street used to be a state highway. People still drive through it as a highway, which is unsafe. We will make sure it fits more as a local street so that pedestrian and bicycle travel, as well as driving, is less dangerous.”
Two years ago, the city applied for the SS4A grant in response to a gradual increase in vehicle accidents and speeding in the area. The city planners developed a comprehensive Safety Action Plan and enlisted consultants to create a detailed strategy, demonstrating the city’s commitment to improving safety and its readiness for funding.
“The Safety Action Plan identified places all over the city where heavy traffic occurs,” said Beaver. “It also highlighted the most areas of concern by the types and amount of accidents, if pedestrians were involved, and what caused them. One of the areas highlighted was Maple Street.
“We noted in the plan that Maple Street is not necessarily at its highest capacity for safety right now,” continued Beaver. “The mayor and council approved the plan this past year, which led to us applying and being awarded the grant through SS4A.”
Project Maple Street will address transportation issues along Maple Street, focusing on the stretch between the University of West Georgia’s south entrance and the South Street intersection. The plan aims to reduce speeding and enhance pedestrian safety by narrowing lanes, eliminating unnecessary curb cuts, and adding wider sidewalks with designated bike lanes. Additionally, new street lamps will be installed along the sidewalks to further improve safety. Hayley Beaver emphasizes that the Maple Street Project will significantly enhance the area, providing greater development and growth for both the community and UWG.
“The street will have lighting to make sure it’s safe at night and we are even adding landscape to improve the area,” said Beaver. “There will be dedicated bike lanes instead of the dangerous shoulder being the only options for those with bikes. And with the narrowing of lanes, speeding will naturally slow down, resulting in easier and safe travel for everyone.”
The Maple Street Project is set to begin in early 2026. Until then, Beaver explained that the city is constantly working towards improvement and advancing our community.
“We want to upgrade all of Carrollton’s commercial corridors,” said Beaver. “We hope to be able to provide pedestrian safety and bicycle lanes for all of Maple Street, as well as other popular areas like Bankhead Highway. It is in the works for the future for sure.”
Find out more about the Maple Street Project and future city advancement: https://carrolltonga.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Comp-Plan_2023_web.pdf