The City of Johns Creek has created a myth about our traffic volumes.  Either that or the GDOT Web Server, which stores thousands of data points for traffic across the state and which is used for traffic planning is entirely worthless and wrong.

The City of Johns Creek tells us we have an ever growing body of traffic from Forsyth County.  I have challenged that idea over the last two years only to be summarily dismissed by City Officials.

Once again here is the most updated data from GDOT which clearly shows no major increases on 141 over the last decade EXCEPT for two locations.

The first location, with the largest increase is in Forsyth County, south of 400.

Were the majority of that growth actually traveling through Johns Creek, then the data just south of Laurel Springs Parkway on 141 would also reflect strong growth in volume.  It does  not, and is actually down over the last eight years.

The other location to show an increase is on 141 North of Abbotts Bridge.  Frankly, this should be expected.  This location in Johns Creek has had the biggest increase in high density housing within the city.

And yet, that has not translated into higher volumes at any of the locations where traffic volumes have been measured south of Abbotts Bridge.

Let’s be honest.  One cannot have declining volumes at so many locations and still make the claims that the COJC is making.

And we should not be planning to widen 141 to six lanes in each direction without a better understanding of the data.

If the GDOT data is wrong, it needs to be proven.  If it is not, we need to put the brakes on decisions being made without solid data behind it.

Clearly, higher density housing leads to many more trips where the housing is located. But let’s not make the wrong assumptions, and change the face of Johns Creek permanently pursuing the wrong solutions.

We need to resolve the right problem.  As I have contended for the past two years, that problem is the traffic lights.  Isn’t it time we solved the right problem?