DeKalb committee approves Laredo Drive bike facility, signal and road design contracts

The DeKalb County Public Works & Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday approved a set of transportation contracts and funding moves aimed at expanding bike and signal improvements across the county.

Chair opened the committee meeting and staff described a proposed $500,000 use of SPLS category B3 funding to add an interim bicycle facility on Laredo Drive that would connect the Atlanta Mountain Trail to the Cabbagetown Farmers Market while the roadway is freshly resurfaced. Director Keer told commissioners the funding would let staff advance the bike facility plan while striping and road surface work are fresh. The committee approved the allocation without objection.

In the same session, the committee approved awarding RFQ 25-085 for traffic-signal operations and technology to KCI Technologies Inc. Staff said the project targets roughly 98 signals for relatively rapid upgrades — flashing yellow arrows, detection improvements and selective audible pedestrian features where budget permits — and noted the agenda included a substitute to add a fixed fee that increased the not-to-exceed amount to roughly $693,983.80. Commissioners moved and seconded the substitute and approved the award.

The committee also approved a rebid design-services award for CR 5182/Pleasantdale Road (from I‑85 to Tucker/Norcross Road) to the highest-scoring proposer, Atkins (transcript spelling: Atkins Realis USA Inc.). Director Keer said the project will follow the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) plan-development process, is intended to be multimodal (narrower lanes and a multi‑use path on at least one side), and will be assigned by task order to refine scope and costs over time. Keer estimated major design phases and plan development can take multiple years.

Separately, the committee approved a construction bid to install two new traffic signals at Valley Brook Road and Hollywood Drive and at Alford and Stevenson Road (award to RJ Haney & Associates Inc., amount not to exceed $441,244), and approved a contract time extension for a pedestrian-hybrid beacon and associated ADA concrete work at North Decatur Road at Parkdale Drive (contract with Reedwick LLC) to allow completion after equipment delays.

Why it matters: The items advance several near-term safety improvements (signals and pedestrian/beacon installations) and longer-term corridor redesigns that the county says will create multimodal connections and lower vehicle speeds. Some projects rely on GDOT processes and federal funding rules that affect schedule and task-ordering.

What’s next: Staff said the Pleasantdale Road design and signal upgrades will proceed through phased task orders and that maps or further concept materials will be provided to commissioners as designs are refined. Several items used substitute agenda materials to add fixed fees or correct timeframes; staff committed to providing substitute documents to committee members.

Speakers quoted or paraphrased in this article are drawn from committee remarks and staff presentations recorded in the meeting transcript.