Crooked Creek – Alpharetta
After many years, Crooked Creek has been approved by the Milton City Council to take their streets private. A study backed up the community’s contention that there was a significant amount of commuter traffic using Crooked Creek as a pass through between Francis Road and Highway 9. The concern was for the safety and comfort of the residents, and through privatization of its roads Crooked Creek can now gate their entrances and eliminate commuters speeding and blowing through stop signs, as well as reduce ease of access for criminal activity.
According to Milton Public Works Director Carter Lucas, there is worry about eliminating a cut-through for traffic, given how few options there are for vehicles going between Francis Road and Ga. 9. However, he said planned improvements to Ga. 9 in the near future, along with completed projects such as the Cogburn-Francis-Hopewell roundabout will help mitigate any problems.
Crooked Creek Home Owners
Milton’s Crooked Creek has approximately 640 homes, and over 6.5 miles of roadway. The main road Creek Club Drive is heavily used as a cut through whenever other arterials between Highway 9 and Francis get congested. The additional safety of privatization will not come without a price though. Home owners HOA dues will be going up by approximately $540 annually per household to cover maintenance of the roads themselves, construction and maintenance of security gates, and the addition of security guards.
The home owners in Crooked Creek approved the installation of gates by 67%. Of course, not all residents agreed with the move. Some questioned the HOA’s openness on votes on the issue and accuracy of the information that was shared, while others believed most of the poor driving was actually by Crooked Creek residents themselves, so privatization would be of no significant benefit.
They’ll have an opportunity to change their mind though. Should the the home owners have buyers’ remorse, they will be able to come to the city in five years and ask to return to public streets.
