Wednesday, November 8, 2000
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Wednesday, November 8, 2000 |
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Drivers: New McDonough Road stop signs cause delays By DAVE HAMRICK
Sometimes the cure can be worse than the disease. Fayette County government phone lines have been humming with complaints ever since new three-way stop signs were erected at McDonough Road and County Line Road last Tuesday evening. "We received about 25 calls this morning," public works director Lee Hearn confirmed last week during a County Commission work session. "We may have created a problem rather than solved a problem," said Commissioner Glen Gosa. During morning and afternoon rush hours, the three-way stop has created a traffic jam on McDonough Road, with cars backed up from County Line to Ga. Highway 54. Part of the problem is the number of motorists turning left onto McDonough Road from McElroy Road, just a few dozen feet from the County Line/McDonough stop sign. Many of those cars then turn right onto County Line, leading Hearn to believe that aligning County Line and McElroy so those motorists could go straight across would relieve some of the problem. That's in the works, he said. The state Department of Transportation has agreed to realign the intersection, erect a traffic light and add some turn lanes that should solve the backup, he said. But DOT is not moving very swiftly on the project, he said. "Georgia DOT has been extremely slow in helping get the job bid and out," he said. Commissioners voted to send a letter asking DOT to put the project on the front burner, and will discuss the matter again at their meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. In the meantime, the number of accidents at the intersection as drivers try to negotiate the difficult left turn from County Line and McElroy onto McDonough Road justifies putting up three-way stop signs, Hearn added. "I would ask for your patience right now," he said. It could be that as drivers get used to the new situation, they'll move through the stop signs more smoothly and faster, he said. Also, many drivers may begin to take alternate routes, relieving the stall, he said. He promised to monitor the situation, along with Sheriff's Department traffic enforcement Lt. Bryan Woodie, to see whether there's any improvement in the initial backup. The Sheriff's Department also has put counters on McDonough, McElroy and County Line to provide additional information for Thursday's commission meeting. As of Tuesday, Hearn said the morning backup has been reduced, but the afternoon trip down McDonough Road is about the same that it was last week.
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