Friday, May 20, 2005

What do you think of this story? Click here to send a message to the editor.

Traffic changing on Hwy. 54

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

Several changes have already been made to help alleviate traffic clogs during construction on Ga. Highway 54 west in Peachtree City.

The Georgia Department of Transportation lengthened the westbound lanes vehicles are allowed to travel on to create more time for cars to merge onto the single westbound lane that leads to the Line Creek bridge into Coweta County.

Also, the state has made a major change for westbound drivers on Hwy. 54 just before they get to the intersection with Ga. Highway 74. The right hand lane has been changed to a turn-only lane, meaning that westbound motorists must merge into the left lane to continue west on Hwy. 54.

This change has caused confusion for some motorists Wednesday who were unaware of the new protocol until they spotted the right-hand turn only markings on the pavement just past the traffic light at Northlake Drive.

City officials have also asked the DOT for several other changes in the corridor after citizens reported trip times of up to 30 minutes in the short Hwy. 54 west corridor. The most significant change could perhaps come for the timing of the various signals in the area, as the city wants more green-light time for vehicles on Hwy. 54 to help flush out the cars that accumulate during drive time.

Another one of the changes would eliminate the right-hand turn lane for southbound vehicles on Hwy. 74 who want to head west on Hwy. 54.

The DOT has indicated that it will study the city’s suggested changes. It was not clear at press time Thursday whether any of those changes have been approved or if the matter was still being reviewed by the DOT and the contractor on the project, E.R. Snell.