Do DOT's guidelines sometimes get in way of improving traffic flow?
Is the Georgia Department of Transportation so firm in its policy guidelines the department is not acting in the best interest of motorists in our community and around the state?Are the policy guidelines so stringent they add to the problem of traffic congestion along heavily traveled roadways in the metro area?
And do the policies sometimes result in using money to install items not really needed?
We are not experts in DOT policies, but some DOT activities and decisions in this community have raised these questions in our mind.
That intersection has undergone improvements over the course of the past couple of years. But when those improvements began DOT said no to the left-turn signals. That decision was reaffirmed this month.
Many motorists and county officials believe the turn signals would help the traffic flow at the busy intersection.
DOT’s bureaucratic response: “Based on accident and volume information, our field review and evaluation of the data in comparison with our policy guidelines for left-turn signal phasing, this location does not meet the criteria for adding the requested left-turn signal phases.”
Motorists who use the intersection and who waited for the long-delayed intersection work will disagree with the DOT assessment. We would agree with the motorists. It seems clear the turn signals would ease traffic flow and lessen congestion in the area.
Another pet peeve of many motorists is the fact that when DOT does certain intersection improvements, the department requires that pedestrian walk signals be installed as part of the improvements.
There are such walk signals at intersections in Coweta County – and elsewhere – where there seldom is a pedestrian in the area. The walk signals are not needed at some intersections.
We don’t know the exact reasoning for this policy, but doesn’t it seem DOT might be wasting money for the pedestrian signals in remote locations?
That money could be better spent on other traffic flow devices.
Like left-turn signals.
