The Coweta County Commission on Oct. 4 approved intersection improvements on Rockaway Road in Senoia at Heritage Pointe Parkway on the city’s north side.
Commissioners on the recommendation of county staff approved operational safety improvements at the intersection that included enhanced signage and flashing beacons to warn Rockaway Road drivers of the intersection and the limited sight distance, installing rumble strips on each approach of Rockaway Road to the intersection and increased and strict enforcement of the existing posted speed limit on Rockaway.
The approval also included beginning survey work that could lead to the installation of a mini-roundabout requiring drivers to reduce their rate of speed at the intersection.
If approved for installation, the mini-roundabout would cost approximately $75,000.
Commissioners voted unanimously on the intersection work recommended by county Transportation and Engineering Director Tod Handley and based on data from a Senioa-funded report by Integrated Science and Engineering.
Speaking on the issue was Heritage Pointe subdivision resident Don Rehman. In his comments to commissioners, Rehman suggested intersection improvements such as a traffic signal with cameras and asked the commission to defer the matter until the next meeting. Rehman said he would be happy, in the interim, to meet with county staff and help them develop options to bring to the board.
Handley prior to the vote said Heritage Pointe Parkway intersects Rockaway Road near the crest of a hill. Due to the vertical curvature of Rockaway Road, intersection sight distance from Heritage Pointe Parkway is controlled in both directions by the surface of the roadway.
Handley said Senoia would be participating in the cost of the intersection improvements.
Report data noted the dramatic increase in traffic over the past few years.
Citing a multi-year traffic report, Handley said the daily volume on Rockaway north of Heritage Pointe Parkway totaled 5,453 vehicles per day in December 2008 and 9,395 vehicles per day in September 2016.
And commenting on vehicle speed, Handley said past counts and the most recent counts showed, speed continues to be an issue on this roadway. During one day of the most recent counts, 40 percent of the traffic on Rockaway Road was traveling more than 10 miles per hour above the posted 35 mile per hour speed limit.
“The speed issue on this roadway compounds the limited Intersection Sight Distance (ISD) at the intersection of Rockaway Road and Heritage Pointe Parkway since additional perception and reaction time is necessary at increased speeds,” said Handley. “The recommended ISD for a left-turning vehicle entering a 45 miles per hour roadway increases by 120 feet from the 425 feet of visibility recommended for a 35 mile per hour roadway.”
Commissioners in March 2015 approved the implementation of “No Parking” zones on Rockaway Road on each approach to the intersection in response to complaints about vehicles parking along Rockaway Road blocking sight distance from Heritage Pointe Parkway.
