Officials: Rucker Road reopens Friday

After being closed for two months to replace a bridge and other work, Rucker Road in Alpharetta is scheduled to reopen after the evening rush hour Friday, city officials announced.

Rucker has been closed since May 29 from the Alpharetta city limits near Houze Road (Ga. 140) to Wills Road.

“The goal was to have Rucker ready for buses and commuters when school begins on Monday ... (and) we will meet that goal,” said Alpharetta Public Works Director Pete Sewczwicz. “In spite of a very rainy summer and some challenges with utility relocations, we will meet that goal and fulfill the promise made to our residents.”

Crews this week will finish catch basins, remove debris, cut weeds and grass along the right-of-way, and — if the rain holds off — finish striping the road where new asphalt has been laid, Sewczwicz said.

Much remains to be done in the nearly two-year, $18.5 million project, officials said. A second bridge will be replaced at the east end of the road, and roundabouts at Charlotte Drive and at Fairfax/Dennis Drive, new sidewalks, a median at key intersections, and a repaving of the entire road are planned.

Rucker is expected to be closed again next summer, starting May 28, 2019. registration system for students already enrolled.

The system replaces the “first day forms” with a digital check and update of students’ contact and emergency notification information, officials said. Parents are asked to complete their children’s online registration by Friday, Aug. 3. The gateway is at: https://update.cherokeek12.net/

“We have heard parents’ and front office staff ’s concerns, and thanks to the hard work of our Office of Technology & Information Systems staff, we have found a better way,” Superintendent of Schools Brian V. Hightower said.

Parent s c an cli c k through screens to confirm or update contact information, apply for free or reduced-price lunch, and print out special forms, such as for medications and allergies. Required state and federal information forms also are part of the system. Information: https://bit. ly/2LwnAoP

“This system is much better for parents, but it also increases the accuracy of vital information, and saves taxpayer dollars by eliminating paper costs and staff time spent processing paper forms,” Hightower said. Breslau said in an email.

“Overall, the city received high marks in satisfaction from our most recent community survey last year,” Breslau said. “However, we would like to continue the dialogue with the residents to hear more detail about what they like about the city and why; what attracted them to the city; what they like to do, etc.”

The videos are produced by the city in-house and will appear on the city’s website and shared on social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Information: Connor McFadden, video production manager, 678-512-3274 or connor. mcfadden@johnscreekga.gov or https://bit.ly/2NPz2IU