We sat down with Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry to talk about cars and community.
Sue G. Collins: For a leisurely Sunday drive around Johns Creek, what might your route be?
Mayor John Bradberry: The City of Johns Creek has worked to improve, yet also preserve, several of our collector roads that many residents appreciate for their pastoral feel. I really enjoy driving along Buice Road near my home. Other collector roads like Parsons, Barnwell, and Bell also continue to have a peaceful scenic feel right here in the middle of our city.
Does Johns Creek host any events for car enthusiasts?
The City recently partnered with the Rotary Club of Johns Creek – North Fulton to host the Cars for Causes car show that featured dozens of antique classics, sports, hot rods, muscles, customs, and pickups. This event is a fundraiser for the Johns Creek Public Safety Foundation. Last year I enjoyed entering my 1966 Corvair in the car show.
In addition, our Public Safety and Public Works departments do a great job showing off all things drivable at events like Touch-a-Truck and Community Safety Day. These events are a huge favorite for families in our community.
What exciting initiatives or projects are in the works to improve the quality of life, especially for drivers in Johns Creek?
Our Public Works department stays on top of traffic trends and the need to improve intersections and bridges in our city. With over 13 miles of our city bordered by the Chattahoochee River, we have a large number of creeks and streams that are crossed by bridges on our roads. We recently replaced the bridge on Bell Road and plan four additional bridge replacements in the next five years. Keeping our roads in good condition makes driving to places like the soon-to-open 203-acre Cauley Creek Park even more enjoyable.
What advice would you give someone looking to get involved in local politics or the community of Johns Creek?
Running for political office is just one way to get involved in our community. We also have a lot of other ways to volunteer your time and talent here in Johns Creek. The city has multiple boards and advisory committees that provide recommendations to the council on topics including parks, events, the arts, and more. We have started this year to shift how we plan many special events, like Diwali and Lunar New Year, using a citizen committee to plan and coordinate much of the fun. There are also many other organizations, like our volunteer-led parks organizations, civic organizations, school support initiatives, or art groups with which people can volunteer.
What advice would you have for young drivers or families of young drivers?
As the parent of a child who will soon be learning to drive, I wish I had advice or that someone had some to give to me! However, I will say that if your teen driver finds themselves coming to traffic court here in Johns Creek due to a minor infraction, our new D.R.I.V.E. program, which is a pre-trial diversion online course, is something of which we are very proud. The Court's goal is to inform young adult drivers to DRIVE forward by educating them on the rules of the road and the potential risks associated with getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Right now, it is available to those who interact with our courts, but there are plans to expand the program to allow any teen to learn from it in the future.
The Cars!
Thank you to BMW of Gwinnett Place for providing the vehicles, the BMW iX and 760i for this shoot. Shot on location at Autrey Mills Nature Preserve. BMWOfGwinnettPlace.com
