A public information open house held by the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) on April 28 at Harp’s Crossing Baptist Church on plans to install two roundabouts on Ga. Highway 92 in south Fayette County saw a flood of residents wanting to weigh-in on the idea. Many attending questioned the viability of the plan.
The concept plan for which approval is expected in September calls for the installation of a roundabout at the intersection of Hwy. 92 at Harp and Seay roads and the installation of a second roundabout a very short distance to the south at Hwy. 92 at Antioch and Lockwood roads.
Of the more than 200 people attending the session, many had questions about the necessity for the project while others maintained that installing the roundabouts would require that DOT take property to make the project work.
The purpose of installing the double-lane roundabouts, according to DOT project manager Justin Banks, is to reduce vehicle crash frequency and severity while improving operational efficiency at the two nearby intersections.
Banks said crash data from 2008-2012 shows 11 crashes at the intersections resulting in one injury and one death. Of the 11 crashes, 36 percent were angle collisions.
“Both of these intersections are problem intersections from a safety standpoint,” Banks said.
DOT Traffic Operations Manager Tyler Peek, in speaking about safety issues and the way the new intersections would be laid-out, said rather than reducing the speed limit there would be signs posted on either side advising that a roundabout is ahead with additional signs telling motorists to slow down. Peek said DOT is also looking at the need to install rumble strips along with the signage.
An additional safety feature at the roundabouts includes having some type of lighting installed to illuminate the intersections. Peek said all roundabouts installed by DOT have some form of lighting.
Asked about residents’ concerns on the need to purchase property to complete the project, Banks said DOT is not taking anyone’s property and is not condemning anyone’s property.
”We’re only using existing right-of-way and utility easement,” said Banks. “It’s (an existing) 80-foot right-of-way. We need 50-100 feet (for the project). We have to meet with the utility (companies) to see where the project alignment will occur.”
Asked about the comments of some residents that a portion of the property of the St. Gabriel Catholic Church would be needed for the project to form a small connector road south of Antioch Road and Hwy. 92, Banks said that was not the case.
While a few of those speaking with The Citizen were in favor of the project, the majority were opposed to it.
Bill Michels, who attends church in the area, said while not opposed to roundabouts, he was opposed to the idea of DOT taking people’s property. Michels said he had heard that DOT wanted to take the home on which the St. Gabriel’s pastor lives.
Harp’s Crossing Baptist church member Bill Preto said the roundabout project “is a colossal waste of money. All they need to do is put in a traffic light.”
Preto also questioned if motorists during the nighttime hours would detect the roundabouts, adding that it would likely lead to accidents.
Citing his opposition was Buddy Holliday. He, too, said a traffic signal would serve as a better solution. Holliday was also opposed to DOT taking property from Harp’s Crossing Baptist.
“I think the double-lane roundabouts will be problematic,” Holliday added.
Area resident Dallas Nicholson in commenting on the project said he is “very opposed. Roundabouts are not as efficient as stop lights.”
Nicholson by example referenced a tractor-trailer failing to negotiate the roundabout and causing an accident.
Speaking in favor of the project, nearby resident Wesley Whittington said he has used the intersections at Hwy. 92 for 28 years.
“Trying to turn and go (north), I’ve nearly been hit many times. It’s dangerous and will slow people down and make (the intersection) safer,” he said.
Another nearby resident, Patricia Conley, said that as presented, she is in favor of the project.
“I didn’t realize it was two roundabouts instead of one. It will slow traffic down for the people on the side roads to get out,” Conley said, adding the expectation that the speed limit on Hwy. 92 might need to be lowered.
It was the tabletops illustrations that had some residents questioning the layout. On one of the tables the roundabout at Hwy. 92 and Antioch and Lockwood roads had the new roundabout situated through a portion of the Prime Financial property.
Banks said the tabletop illustrations on display at the meeting were for illustrative purposes only and did not exactly replicate how the project would look once the design work in completed.
Asked about considerations with roundabouts as opposed to traffic signals at the intersections, Peek said the considerations include traffic volume, crash history and safety.
“Safety is the biggest concern. Data substantiates that roundabouts reduce crashes significantly over a traffic signal,” he said.
Several residents at the meeting said they were told one thing by one DOT representative and something different by another.
The meeting was attended by a number of DOT staff. Though exclusively a DOT project, Fayette County Public Works Director Phil Mallon also attended the meeting as did Fayette County commissioners Randy Ognio, Chuck Oddo, Pota Coston and David Barlow. State Sen. Marty Harbin also attended.
Following the expected concept approval in September, work on the $5.4 million project is slated to begin in mid-2018 with an estimated completion in 2020.
