Nancy Creek Tunnel Public Meetings

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MAYOR Shirley Franklin
 
CITY OF ATLANTA

City of Atlanta to Provide Relief of Sewer System with Tunnel Project

Atlanta and its surrounding counties have been growing at an incredible rate for many years. The impact of the constant influx of people, construction of new homes and commercial development has increased the stress on the infrastructures that support everyday life.  The increase in traffic is one of the most visible aspects of this growth and development.   One of the least visible aspects is the aging underground infrastructure that carries sewerage to our treatment facilities.  That is, it's least visible until sewage backs up in backyards and basements or flows into our creeks. The City of Atlanta, DeKalb County and Fulton County have agreed to work together to construct the Nancy Creek Tunnel to help an area that experiences constant problems with sewerage overflow. The Nancy Creek drainage basin includes the northern part of the City of Atlanta, parts of northeast Fulton County and a portion of DeKalb County.  Sewerage from these areas is treated at the R.M. Clayton Treatment Plant on Bolton Road.  

When there is a heavy rain, the existing sewer system does not have enough capacity to carry both the raw sewage and the additional storm water that enters the lines through manholes and cracks in the pipes.  This problem has been ongoing since the 1980s.   Various options for increasing the sewer capacity were investigated and the tunnel option was found to be the most environmentally sound and least disruptive solution.  The tunnel option is supported by the many of residents who live within the Nancy Creek basin and have experienced sewage backups over the years.

On December 18, 2000, the City of Atlanta authorized Jordan, Jones & Goulding and Engineering Design Technologies (JJG/EDT) to provide engineering services for design of the tunnel and pump station.  The tunnel will extend from Johnson Ferry Road in DeKalb County to the R.M. Clayton WRC in northwest Atlanta.  It will be approximately 8 miles long with an inside diameter of 16 feet.  The Nancy Creek Tunnel will be excavated through bedrock, which makes it more stable during construction.   Experience has shown that deep rock tunnel construction has little impact on above ground structures.

Construction of the Nancy Creek Tunnel is scheduled to begin in July 2002 and expected to be completed in the fall of 2005.  According to Mary Norwood, Atlanta City Council Member At Large, "This tunnel project will play a significant role in restoring water quality in Nancy Creek. The residents in this area have suffered with sewer overflows long enough. We are confidant that this tunnel is the best solution, for both the City of Atlanta and its residents, because it will create the fewest environmental and neighborhood impacts."

The public is invited to attend a public meeting to find out more about the project. Following are meeting dates, locations, and times:

July 23
Pace Academy
966 W. Paces Ferry Road NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30327
7:00 p.m.- 9:pm

July 25.
The Carpenter's House
2355 Bolton Road, NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30318
7:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.

July 29
Peachtree Presbyterian Church
3434 Roswell Road, NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
7:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.

July 31
Sandy Springs Christian Church
301 Johnson Ferry Road, NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30308
7:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.

Media Contacts:   Sandra Walker, Mayor's Office of Marketing & Communications (404) 330.6395 Tony Gomez, Department of Public Works (404) 330.6980

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