Fayette | News

PTC adds school zones, lengthens others

Thu, 04/03/2008 - 7:14pm
By: The Citizen

Peachtree City will soon have eight new school zones and eight larger school zones as part of an effort to increase safety for kids walking or taking golf carts to school.

For all of the new zones, the speed limit will be reduced from 30 to 25 mph. Lt. Mark Brown of the Peachtree City Police Department said the radar speeds logged on the department’s “smart trailer” show roughly 75 percent of vehicles failing to meet the 25 mph limit during school hours.

The newer school zones were necessary to encompass a number of cart path road crossings that are typically used for students going to school, said City Engineer David Borkowski.

Brown noted that the extension of school zones was largely to make sure other cart path road crossings and crossing guard locations were covered as part of the school zone.

Brown said the department traditionally gives drivers a “reasonable” speed over the school zone limit instead of writing tickets for as low as 1 mph over the 25 mph limit, which is technically allowed by Georgia law.

Brown said changing the entire Waterwood Bend road from 30 mph to a 25 mph school zone was due to several cart path crossings on that road, which surrounds Booth Middle School. Also, the change will be well-received by residents on the road, who have complained often about after school speeding on Waterwood Bend, he said.

Brown noted that in addition to the new signs indicating the school zone, the city will also be replacing the smaller white warning signs that notify of the upcoming school zone with a much larger diamond-shaped sign. The new warning signs will be placed 500 feet from the beginning of the school zone, Brown added.

Councilman Steve Boone said he’d like to have flashing yellow lights installed on the signs. But Assistant City Manager Colin Halterman said back in 2001 he checked into the cost and it was roughly $150,000. And that was for just the city’s current school zones at the time.

Brown said the changes go hand in hand with the department’s efforts to have a higher visibility on the cart path system as well.

The speed zone changes also make the enforcement times uniform for all elementary schools because they get out at the same time, with the same also for middle and high schools, Brown said. The varying times currently in place have drawn some complaints, he added.

The proposed new school zones, which would reduce speeds from 30 mph to 25 mph are:

- On Kelly Drive near Huddleston Elementary from the Lake Peachtree bridge to a spot 400 feet east of Sweetgum; this zone is currently bound by a 30 mph limit;

- On Peachtree Parkway north near McIntosh High from 200 feet north of Walt Banks to 200 feet south of Stevens Entry; this zone is currently 30-35 mph;

- On Pinegate Road near Peachtree City Elementary from Riley Parkway to 600 feet north of Riley Parkway; this zone is currently rated at 30 mph;

- On Prime Point near McIntosh High from 50 feet east of Stevens Entry to 50 feet north of Ga. Highway 54; this zone is currently rated at 30 mph

- On Riley Parkway near Peachtree City Elementary from Flat Creek Road to Aberdeen Parkway; this zone is currently 30 mph;

- On Stevens Entry near McIntosh High from Ga. Highway 54 to Peachtree Parkway north; this zone is currently 30 mph;

- On Summit Walk near Oak Grove Elementary from Crown Point to 500 feet north of Crestwood; this zone is currently 30 mph; and

- On Waterwood Bend near Booth Middle School from 50 feet west of the southern intersection of Peachtree Parkway to 50 feet west of the northern intersection of Peachtree Parkway; this road is also currently 30 mph.

Also the city will increase the length of eight existing speed zones as follows:

- Crosstown Drive for Oak Grove Elementary from .3 to .4 miles.

- Kedron Drive for Kedron Elementary from .3 to .4 miles.

- Log House Road for Oak Grove Elementary from .24 miles to .50 miles.

- McIntosh Trail for Huddleston Elementary from .45 to .65 miles.

- Peachtree Parkway south for Booth Middle from .26 to .50 miles.

- Robinson Road for Braelinn and Oak Grove elementary from .4 miles to 1.3 miles.

- Walt Banks Road for McIntosh High from .33 to .50 miles; and

- Wisdom Road for Peachtree City Elementary school from .3 to .4 miles.

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The nice ones....
Submitted by jjj on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 7:02pm.

Always wave everybody else thru. We also stop at golf cart crossings for walkers and golfcarts- they actually wave back. So it is like a nice person festival everytime. We also drive extra slow in spring too because the dogwoods are so pretty. Be Sweet! jennPTC and I are

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New School Zones
secret squirrel's picture
Submitted by secret squirrel on Fri, 04/04/2008 - 7:03am.

Kudos to Councilman Boone for advocating the use of flashers on the signs during school hours. This would solve not only the problem of having to wait until you're in the zone before realizing the zone speed is in effect as well as reduce the need for actual policing since most people speed in schools zones because they're unaware they're in one or what time the zone is in effect. I think the trade-off on man-hours to police the zones without flashers would eventually make up for the cost.

And in my opinion, the cost is irrelevant- we're talking about something to increase the safety of our children. I'd gladly pay for it. Anyone who routinely pays attention to speeders in school can see this is warranted.

Regardless of what's done, expanding school zone limits is meaningless if the speed law isn't enforced. And make the fine something crippling- 1 MPH over 25 gets you $500 fine with $50 incremental increases thereafter. We'll either let the fines pay for new flashers or people will get the message and pay attention.


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Do It Right
Submitted by new2ptc on Thu, 04/03/2008 - 8:48pm.

That’s fine but it should be done right. Posting the times for the zone should come before the beginning of the zone and not after the zone begins.

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And I thought I was the only one
bad_ptc's picture
Submitted by bad_ptc on Thu, 04/03/2008 - 8:59pm.

that thought this was a problem.

Isn't that another form of entrapment?

It's kind of like putting the stop sign after the intersection.

QUIZ: This seems to be a particular problem here in PTC.

1. If two cars arrive at a four way stop at the same time who has the right-of-way?

2. If four cars arrive at a four-way-stop at the same time who has the right-of-way?


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Survey says...
yardman5508's picture
Submitted by yardman5508 on Thu, 04/03/2008 - 9:07pm.

1- the one on the right;
2- they all get to go at the same time.

Keep the faith

Democracy is not a spectator sport.


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no, yardman,
Submitted by ptcjenn on Thu, 04/03/2008 - 9:13pm.

You have it all wrong.

The lady on the cellphone goes first, since she doesn't realize it's a 4WS. Technically, it's not her turn since she doesn't actually stop but who's keeping track?

Next comes whoever has the newest car, failing that whoever has the biggest SUV.

Then it's the other lady's turn, but she's going to be 'nice' and mess it all up for everyone else and wave for you to go ahead.

As you go through the intersection, don't forget to dodge the old guy in the Cadillac car or teenage boy who goes at the same time as you. Wave and smile! He thinks you're #1 !

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