For more information on the proposed project, go to: shorturl.at/Vbx3x. The public can submit feedback on the proposal at shorturl.at/OyYGa through Jan. 5.
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has a plan to reconfigure a portion of U.S. Highway 78 by adding a two-way left turn lane, a center lane that both directions of traffic would be able to use for left turns.
The lane would stretch 2.38 miles from Bunker Hill Road to Highway 22/Comer Road.
There were 224 accidents along the corridor from 2013-23, resulting in 80 incidents with injury and one fatality, according to GDOT. It warns that without the project, “safety and traffic operations are not expected to improve along the corridor.”
By 2027, GDOT estimates that 11,200 vehicles will travel the route daily, a 250-vehicle increase from 2023.
“I hope it’s successful,” said Jay Paul, chairman of the Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners. “I trust their opinion.”
The estimated cost of the project is $2.36 million with $1.75 million allocated for construction.
Paul said county residents also are “lobbying hard” for the addition of traffic lights at the intersection of 78 and Highway 22, as well as at 78 and Bunker Hill Road.
“I hear people voice their concerns to me through the years, as recently as (a recent) morning, from a friend of mine,” Paul said.
Traffic congestion, primarily during the school year, remains a primary concern for commuters.
“When (GDOT does) these traffic studies that warrants red lights, there’s essentially two critical times of each day,” Paul said. “And that’s during the traffic rush for the school system for nine months out of the year, where it is an issue.”
In November, GDOT installed a four-way stop at the intersection of Highway 22 and Collier Church Road/Watson Mill Road to “improve safety and traffic flow for all drivers.” There had been 270 accidents and five fatalities at the intersection over the past decade.
Currently, only one left-turn deceleration zone exists along the corridor at Buddy Faust Road. However, the lane only accommodates drivers traveling east.
Minor disruptions will occur during construction, if approved, but no detours will be put into effect, GDOT states. Road crews will work in stages so vehicles can still travel through the area during construction.
“I would hope that (the project) would have a positive impact and influence,” Paul said. “But if it doesn’t, I’m sure that DOT personnel will be out here to reassess it and figure out the next move.”