The Senoia City Council on Monday approved lower speed limits on Ga. Highway 16, but that does not mean that the speed will come down anytime soon. The ultimate decision rests with the Ga. Dept. of Transportation (DOT).
The idea behind the ordinance change was to cut down on the potential for accidents in the vicinity of the Coweta Charter Academy on Hwy. 16 on the city’s west side by petitioning the Ga. Dept. of Transportation (DOT) to approve a school zone speed limit during regular school hours.
The Coweta Charter Academy is located on the site of the Peachtree Baptist Church between Old Highway 85 and Morgan Road. The City Council in the amendment to the speed limit ordinance wanted a school zone speed limit instituted that would lower the speed from 55 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour during school hours. The ordinance amendment proposal was introduced at the July 16 meeting.
City Administrator Richard Ferry said the application to lower the speed limit was made in March.
“The DOT process is lengthy and we haven’t heard their final answer yet,” Ferry said. “So the speed limit is still 55 miles per hour.”
The city would also like the speed reduced from 55 miles per hour to 45 miles per hour beginning at Rock House Road, also on the city’s west side. The reasoning has to do with motorists making left turns onto Pylant Street near the new library. Amounting to a main turn-off into the downtown area, the Pylant/Hwy. 16 intersection is one where vehicles approaching from the left have been rear-ended.
The city is currently awaiting the results of a traffic study recently performed by DOT.
