The railroad crossing near Decatur High Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

Improvements to railroad crossings at Candler and McDonough streets are set to begin around Sept. 1, Deputy City Manager Hugh Saxon said.

The improvements will include new traffic signals at both intersections to help people making left turns.

At its regular meeting on May 16, the Decatur City Commission approved an agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation for federal money to improve the railroad crossings at Candler and McDonough streets. The agreement requires the city to provide $232,668 to match $930,672 in federal funding for the project.

“A maximum of $1,480,000 in [federal] funding is available for the project,” a memo attached to the City Commission agenda says.

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Saxon told Decaturish that the work will be performed in conjunction with the McDonough streetscape project. The city will be taking bids for both projects next week, he said.

The projects will take about a year to complete, he said.

McDonough Street will see infrastructure improvements, including “green infrastructure” to help with storm water.

“The big element is a two-way cycle track, a dedicated bike facility on the west side of the street,” Saxon said.

At the railroad crossings there will be new walkway for pedestrians. At the moment bicycles and pedestrians have to share the crossing with vehicles. He said there will be separate walkway for pedestrians to make it safer.

“Right now there’s a steep drop on the north side of both crossings and that will be repaved to make it a much more gradual slope, to be accessible for people in wheelchairs,” Saxon said.

Saxon said both intersections will receive new traffic signals and protected left turn lanes.