Barrow County Commissioners, at the behest of District 4 Commissioner Isaiah Berry and District 6 Commissioner Ben Hendrix, will be asking the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to examine how Highway 211 can be made safer for drivers.
Highway 211 between the city limits to Winder to Highway 124 near Interstate 85 has been the stretch where seven people have died in traffic accidents investigated by the Georgia State Patrol since the first of the year.
In the past 18 months, Highway 211 has also been the location of 112 accidents investigated by the Barrow County Sheriff's Office.
"We request that traffic signals or other appropriate traffic management systems be installed at the following intersections:
The intersection of Old Hog Mountain Road and State Hwy 211 (District 6).
The intersection of County Line Road and State Hwy 211 (District 6).
The intersection of Barrow Park Drive Extension and State Hwy 211 (District 4).
Hendrix had written a letter to GDOT in May of 2006 asking for traffic control signals at the Old Hog Mountain Road and County Line Road intersections with Highway 211 but he said GDOT denied the request, indicating there was insufficient data to support a light. He wanted to try again, especially since seven have died in the past four months.
"Twenty-five of these [112] traffic accidents have resulted in injuries that were serious enough for transport to a hospital," said the memo, which now carries the signatures of all the commissioners.
"We are requesting traffic management systems at the intersection of Barrow Park Drive Extension due to the fact that our new jail facility will be opening in a few months, and the traffic in that area is likely to increase," the memo says. "Since traffic will exit Barrow Park Drive Extension onto State Hwy 211 in close proximity to a curve and hill, this could result in more traffic accidents..."
Berry said, "We just want to be proactive and wanted to try to get something done because it's so senseless to lose young lives."
Copies of the accident reports will be forwarded with the request which will go first to State Rep. Terry England.
Originally published Wednesday, July 23, 2008
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