More changes are coming to Danielsville next summer – this time at the town’s sole red light.
Danielsville mayor Todd Higdon said Tuesday that he and county commission chairman Anthony Dove met with state senator Frank Ginn, representative Tom McCall, representative Alan Powell and Department of Transportation officials last week to discuss revamping the town’s sole red light at the intersections of Hwys. 29 and 98. Higdon said they discussed the safety and traffic complaints that the public has long expressed over the traffic stop.
In response, Higdon said the DOT has come up with three sets of engineering plans that he wants citizens to have an opportunity to study over the next three months. Two of the plans involve turning lanes and one involves removing the red light in favor of a roundabout. Higdon said the DOT officials favor the roundabout because they say it will take up less right of way and cost less than installing turning lanes.
Higdon said the plans are available at city hall and citizens are welcome to stop by to see them during office hours Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. After six weeks, Higdon said the plans will be transferred to the county complex.
“That way, everyone who has a concern should get to see them and express their opinion,” Higdon said.
At the end of the three months, Higdon will ask the city council to vote on one of the plans in order to submit it to the DOT.
“We want construction to begin next summer, as soon as school lets out,” Higdon said, adding that if they don’t move forward now, he’s afraid the project will get put off.
The mayor said he is especially grateful to McCall, Powell and Ginn for making the meeting happen in a timely manner.
Higdon said any of the three plans should increase the flow of traffic at the intersection and increase the surrounding area’s business appeal.
“Until I see differently, I favor the roundabout,” he said, explaining that it would not only increase flow but force travelers to slow down to negotiate it. “Turning lanes do nothing for slowing the speed of traffic,” he said.
Higdon said he hopes the changes going on this week at the courthouse roundabout and the upcoming changes at the red light will bring traffic count standards from 1975 to 2012 standards.
He acknowledged that their have been complaints about the changes at the courthouse, but said traffic has flowed better from the red light to the courthouse during peak times this week since the new signs are in place, and that work is ongoing.
“There are two more concrete islands coming at Madison Street and at Crawford W. Long Street, which will help direct traffic, ” he said.
Higdon said motorists trying to turn into the bank and hardware parking lot, or the Subway parking lot, from the roundabout should turn in front of the yield signs and use their blinker.
He also said travelers should be aware that speed limits all over town will likely be decreased in the near future.
Turn lanes will just back up forever like it is now. Roundabout means no more red light, so no more chance of getting t-boned by some idiot running the red light (folks run that red light all the time).
The roundabout means LESS BRAKING and LESS gearing down/up and smoother traffic flow.
When turn signals are used properly, you can easily spot your opportunity to enter. Other cities (such as Hilton Head) have signs up to educate drivers about this simple practice which is both a common courtesy and a means of keeping traffic moving.
A cheaper and simpler solution is a turn signal.
YES! Roundabout please! Will work so much better than turn lane AND save money? Bingo...'cause we don't have money to spend more on turn lanes that don't work as well.
Just because those businesses don't have value to you doesn't mean they don't have value. And you should be careful about getting too cozy with Eminent Domain. In addition to pawn shops and laundromats, she's been known to gobble up family farms and personal homes.