By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

As many as 1,200 residents near Ga. Highway 92 and Jimmie Mayfield Boulevard lost their phone service all day last Thursday when construction crews sliced a cable.

BellSouth officials are looking into the accident to see whether construction crews working on the intersection should be billed for repairs, said BellSouth area manager Gene Gulledge.

“Anytime we get a cut cable, our major emphasis is on getting if fixed first, then investigating,” said Gulledge.

The cable was cut about 8 a.m., and phone service was restored about 6:30 p.m.

Under a project of the Georgia Department of Transportation, crews are realligning the intersection to create separate “T” intersections at Jimmie Mayfield and Hwy. 92 and Lee Street at Hwy. 92, and widening Jimmie Mayfield for turn lanes.

Target comletion date for the $1.5 million project is May 31, 2000, but Mark Mastronardi of DOT's Griffin District office said work is moving faster than expected.

“We're likely to be done the first of the year,” he said.