Hammond Drive Improvements

Project Purpose

The City of Sandy Springs has long recognized the need to improve mobility and safety along this section of Hammond Drive. As early as 1999, Fulton County identified improvements along Hammond Drive as necessary to enhance safety and mobility.

Over the years, the City has hosted more than five public meetings and multiple neighborhood discussions to gather resident input regarding the project’s need and design. In March 2023, the City hosted a project update meeting for neighborhoods adjacent to the project.

Based on traffic data collected in 2019, Hammond Drive between Roswell Road and Glenridge Drive carries approximately 17,500 vehicles daily, exceeding the capacity of a two-lane roadway. Hammond Drive currently experiences severe congestion and traffic queuing, especially during peak commuting hours.

The inability to accommodate current and future traffic demand along Hammond Drive has contributed to increased neighborhood cut-through traffic and negatively impacted adjacent roadways.

This section of Hammond Drive also lacks sidewalks, does not adequately accommodate MARTA buses, and presents visibility and sight-distance challenges for motorists. There is currently no marked crosswalk between the ends of the corridor study area.

This conceptual design project proposes a new roadway configuration for Hammond Drive that improves capacity and accessibility for all modes of transportation, including automobiles, buses, bicycles, and pedestrians.

Additional benefits of the project include:

Reducing potential pedestrian and vehicular conflicts
Improving neighborhood connectivity
Improving access for pedestrians and bicyclists
Improving bus operations
Reducing cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets
Reducing congestion along Hammond Drive during peak hours

Project Description

The project will add a multi-use path along both sides of Hammond Drive, with dedicated pedestrian crossings at four locations between Roswell Road and Glenridge Drive, improving pedestrian and bicycle safety and mobility in the area.

The proposed concept includes green space between the roadway and the multi-use paths, as well as along the south side of the new roadway.

The Hammond Drive improvements will better connect both sides of the Glenridge-Hammond neighborhood by providing direct bicycle and pedestrian access across Hammond Drive through an underpass at Kayron Drive.

Limited-access cul-de-sacs will reduce cut-through traffic and help calm neighborhood traffic.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many properties have been acquired? Will the City utilize eminent domain for the remaining properties?

Based on the preliminary design, the City has acquired all 37 properties needed for the project.

What is the status of the project?

The project is in the right-of-way and final design stage.

How is the project being funded?

The project is funded through Fulton County Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) collections. TSPLOST 2016 passed in November 2016, and TSPLOST 2021 passed in November 2021.

As presented during the City’s February 2020 Public Information Open House, the project was estimated to cost between $59.6 million and $64.6 million. Because the projects were approved and funded by voters, the City has limited flexibility in project execution.

When is construction expected to start?

Construction is expected to begin in 2026.

Will the improvements increase neighborhood cut-through traffic?

Traffic data collected along Hammond Drive between Roswell Road and Glenridge Drive shows approximately 17,500 vehicles travel the corridor daily. This exceeds the capacity of the existing two-lane roadway and contributes to severe congestion and queuing during peak commuting hours.

Historical traffic data obtained from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) indicates traffic volumes have plateaued in recent years, confirming that Hammond Drive is operating at capacity and unable to accommodate existing demand.

The inability to accommodate increasing traffic demand has contributed to neighborhood cut-through traffic and negatively impacted adjacent roadways and neighborhoods.

Why is the project needed?

Hammond Drive currently carries more traffic than its roadway capacity allows and regularly experiences severe congestion and traffic queuing.

The corridor lacks adequate facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists. There are no marked crosswalks between Roswell Road and Glenridge Drive, effectively dividing the neighborhood and requiring pedestrians to travel out of their way to cross the roadway.

There are also limited facilities to support transit riders, and the current roadway configuration does not adequately accommodate buses. Hammond Drive presents visibility and sight-distance challenges for motorists due to roadway topography.

This section is also the narrowest portion of Hammond Drive between Boylston Drive and Glenridge Drive, while other sections of Hammond Drive already include four lanes. As a result, this portion of the corridor experiences significant congestion during peak travel hours.

Project Concept

Concept rendering of proposed Hammond Drive corridor improvements including roadway, pedestrian, bicycle, and landscape enhancements

Concept rendering of the proposed Hammond Drive corridor improvements.

Public Meetings

The City of Sandy Springs hosted two Public Information Open House meetings regarding planned improvements for Hammond Drive on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. The meetings provided the community with an opportunity to review proposed alternatives and provide feedback.

The first meeting was held from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. A second meeting was held the same day from 6–8 p.m. Both meetings featured the same information and displays and were held at Sandy Springs City Hall, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, GA 30328.

The planned improvements affect Hammond Drive from Roswell Road to Glenridge Drive. Currently, the corridor experiences severe congestion and traffic queuing, especially during peak commuting hours. Increasing traffic demand has also contributed to neighborhood cut-through traffic and negatively impacted adjacent roadways.

This portion of Hammond Drive also lacks sidewalks and marked crosswalks, does not adequately accommodate MARTA transit operations, and presents visibility challenges for motorists and pedestrians.

The conceptual design proposes safety and operational improvements including multi-use paths, sidewalks, landscaping, pedestrian lighting, and intersection enhancements.

February 26, 2020, Public Meeting Materials

February 20, 2019, Project Input Meeting

The City of Sandy Springs hosted a Neighborhood Input Meeting for the Glenridge-Hammond HOA on February 20, 2019, at City Springs. Approximately 100 neighbors attended.

Participants considered two questions regarding a potential roadway project involving Hammond Drive between Glenridge Road and Roswell Road:

What concerns do you have about a redesign of Hammond Drive?
What could be done to make the project a neighborhood asset?

A meeting with the general public was planned for a later date.

Hammond Drive Corridor Project Neighborhood Meeting Report – February 2019 (PDF)

Project History

2009

A fact-finding Public Information Open House (PIOH) was held on April 13, 2009.

Hammond Drive Project History Informational Handout (PDF)

2015

Mayor and Council received a project update during the January 6, 2015, meeting.

Hammond Drive Improvement Project Briefing – January 2015 (PDF)

2016

The City Council approved inclusion of Phase 1 of the Hammond Drive project as part of the proposed T-SPLOST project list. Phase 1 included roadway design for four lanes with sidewalks, bicycle lanes, transit lanes, and right-of-way acquisition.

Prior to voting on approval of the list, City Council received an update on a traffic study conducted for the corridor.