By Larry Compton
As many of you know, the Safer McLendon Project consists of a team of Candler Park and Lake Claire neighbors organized under the CPNO Infrastructure Committee. The team has a vision to make the thoroughfare safer by sharing the roadway with bikers and pedestrians for a much safer and more enjoyable experience for all.
In the spring of 2023, Candler Park and Lake Claire neighborhoods voted to approve the Safer McLendon project plan. (For additional information, visit here and download the Improvement Plan booklet.) Stop signs were added at key intersections along McLendon Avenue as part of Phase One of the project.
Sadly, unknown individuals removed three of the new stop signs along McLendon in Candler Park and Lake Claire. The most recent theft occurred overnight on January 5–6, 2024.
The signs were stolen from the intersections of:
- McLendon and Mell (Candler Park)
- McLendon and Brooks (Candler Park)
- McLendon and Connecticut / Ridgewood (Lake Claire)
This is the third time the new Lake Claire stop sign at McLendon and Ridgewood/Connecticut was stolen.
On Jan. 6, two of the stop signs were found in the storm drain in front of Candler Park Market. Quick action by the Infrastructure Committee and the City of Atlanta DOT restored all three stop signs by 8:30 p.m. on the same day.
Although stealing stop signs may seem like a harmless prank, this endangers pedestrians and causes driver uncertainty due to the presence of road markings without proper signage.
CPNO Safety and Lake Claire have engaged with Atlanta DOT and the Atlanta Police Department Zone 6 leadership team on this topic and are currently in the process of filing a police report to launch an investigation. Theft of road signage is considered larceny (theft of property) and is a crime. More importantly, removal of stop signs is extremely dangerous and threatens the safety of pedestrians, bikers, and drivers, especially considering that many of these signs are at Atlanta Public Schools’ bus stops.
We ask that anyone observing active sign removal call or text 911 immediately. Also, if you have any information regarding the recent theft or if you notice that a sign is missing from the new intersections please contact safety@candlerpark.org,infrastructure@candlerpark.org, and president@lakeclaire.org.
Larry Compton is the CPNO Safety Officer.