Friday, December 1, 2000
Friday, December 1, 2000 |
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'Through lane' at Huddleston Road must first be approved by state traffic engineer
By JOHN
MUNFORD
The proposed "through lane" for Ga. Highway 54 West at Huddleston Road isn't a done deal yet. The through lane concept was hailed as the main factor in deciding the planned Wal-Mart Superstore could meet the city's traffic ordinance. The City Council voted 3-2 to approve the concept plan for the Wal-Mart based on that decision, but the final say on the through lane is out of council's hands. The Georgia Department of Transportation's state traffic engineer must sign off on the concept before it can be built, said Keith Rohling, district traffic operations engineer for the Thomaston district office. "Usually, with a design like this they'll look at it a little harder," Rohling said, estimating it could take four weeks after the revised drawings are received for a final decision from the DOT. The revised drawings for that plan haven't yet been received by the DOT, Rohling said Wednesday morning. The through lane would allow westbound traffic on Hwy. 54 west to continuously flow through the intersection instead of stopping at the traffic light at Huddleston Road. A concrete island would separate the through lane from the current lane of traffic, which would accept vehicles turning left off Huddleston Road onto Hwy. 54 west. Those two lanes would eventually merge into one lane before the traffic would reach the bridge that crosses into Coweta County. The stoplight at the intersection would remain, but it would only affect the eastbound traffic on Hwy. 54 and the traffic entering the highway from Huddleston Road. Rohling said he was not familiar with a similarly designed traffic improvement anywhere in Georgia. "It's not a conventional design, but it's not something I feel would be unsafe," Rohling said. "I felt like we could try it, but I don't know what Atlanta's going to say." For large developments along state highways, the DOT typically receives recommendations from a traffic engineer employed by the developer, Rohling said. The DOT then studies that proposal, checks the numbers and sometimes negotiates with the developer on how the final construction will be allowed, Rohling added. At a council meeting in October, Mayor Bob Lenox announced that the through lane concept was what made the city's traffic consulting firm, Dames and Moore, change its mind about the Wal-Mart Superstore's ability to meet the city's traffic ordinance. Until then, Dames and Moore had contended that the Wal-Mart store couldn't meet the traffic ordinance and therefore couldn't be built until the highway was widened to four lanes. The City Council approved the concept plan 3-2, with Carol Fritz, Robert Brooks and Mayor Lenox for approval and Annie McMenamin and Dan Tennant against. The action came before a packed crowd at City Hall, many of whom spoke out against the Wal-Mart plan being approved. Several citizens complained that the through lane concept couldn't work since the westbound traffic on Hwy. 54 must be funneled through the bridge over the CSX railroad tracks before it reaches the intersection of Huddleston Road. RAM Development has already secured DOT permits for other traffic improvements in the area of the Wal-Mart/Home Depot project, including: New turn lanes in front of the Wal-Mart/Home Depot site; Another turn lane that will be added to the Hwy. 54/74 intersection to feed traffic onto Hwy. 74 south;
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