Residents in the immediate area around the intersection of Hwy. 20 and Turner Church Road have been watching the accidents pile up, and they are urging county and state officials to do something about it.
Tod and Andrea Elmore provided the Times with copies of numerous emails which were sent to a wide variety of people, including Department of Transportation personnel at county and state levels as well as county commissioners and state legislators. They said that they have received very little response.
In one of those communications, Tod Elmore noted that he and his neighbors witnessed three separate incidents, two at Turner Church Road and one at Elliott Road, on the same day.
“There have been six accidents since September 27,” he wrote. “We’ve received a lot of lip service from the County and State DOTs but nothing substantive has been done. There has been no response to our outreach from anyone since September 27.”
The Times requested and received a report from the Henry County Police Department which showed that eight accidents were handled by police at that intersection between July 25 and October 22. Officials pointed out that those were only the ones at the precise location where the roads meet, and any that took place in the immediate area on Hwy. 20 or Turner Church Road would have been categorized by a specific address.
Residents have suggested that a traffic circle or some other kind of traffic control be installed at the intersection, along with a speed hump on Turner Church Road.
The intersection was realigned slightly and can be crossed directly although it is not perfect, Andrea Elmore said in an interview with the Times. However, a steep curve on the highway for motorists traveling westbound toward McDonough is problematic.
“You don’t see it until you are right on it,” she said. “You have to be really careful pulling out onto Hwy. 20. We won’t go that way anymore because of the increased traffic and the curve. People don’t know that they need to slow down for you.”
A flashing light was installed atop a sign notifying drivers about the intersection, but Elmore said there have actually been more accidents since it was installed.
State DOT officials have indicated that the plan has always been to install a roundabout, but it would be at least three years before that happens. The state has jurisdiction over anything that happens on Hwy. 20, while Turner Church Road is the responsibility of the county.
“The state doesn’t seem to talk to the county, and the county doesn’t seem to talk to the state,” said Andrea Elmore.
She cited one example of that lack of communication by explaining that the state installed rumble strips on Turner Church Road toward the stop sign, but the county removed them when repaving the road and never put them back. “That was just within a few months of each other,” she said.
The most recent notice from the state regarding the intersection was sent to the Elmores on October 24.
“As of right now, the Georgia DOT has done everything we are able to do with regard to intermediate solutions at the Georgia 20/Turner Church Road intersection, including the additional signage and flashing lights,” wrote District 3 communications officer Penny Brooks. “We are in ongoing talks with Henry County officials regarding ongoing concerns, and you can be assured that when any future decisions are made – either for short-term or permanent methods – the community will be notified accordingly.”
The residents in the area want something done sooner rather than later.
“I really wonder about the man-hours and resources required from ambulances showing up there twice a week,” said Andrea Elmore.
In a more recent development, a resident on the corner posted a small sign, on private property and off the right-of-way, which stated, “OVER 150 ACCIDENTS. CALL GDOT AND ASK WHY. 706-646-6900.” In an email to state officials, Tod Elmore reported that his next-door neighbor witnessed the sign being removed by someone driving a DOT truck.
That email was also sent to Henry County Board of Commissioners chair June Wood, who responded by telling Elmore that someone from the county would follow up with him on the matter.
I had 20 Yellow Signs made up and posted them near the intersection. That way residents that travel through that area would call GDOT at 706-646-6900. All the signs were placed on private property but the HCDOT picked them up anyway. That is the GDOT number for Safety and Transportation Department. I was thinking if they had enough calls they might move on improving the area.
If you think this is a small problem, just wait till they open Jonesboro Road new extension with the Round-About. That should average at least 2 to 3 accidents a day. People in Georgia just don’t know how to enter or exit a round-about. Besides tractor-trailers will that full area to navigate it. Plus never mind putting the R/A 300 feet from the tracks.
I was real happy to see we put a bridge over Campground Extension that has little less traffic than Jonesboro Road. Next time you see an accident at Jonesboro Rd R/A and the fire and police are on the east side of the tracks waiting for the train to past, you meant want to call GDOT, all your Commissioners again
Why it it 50 mph going into mcdonough on 20. (Airline rd. to the inside the city limits) and 45 mph going out of the city on 20 . the speed limit does not change till you get right in the city, right before the red light to 35 mph. Really. Someone was not thinking about that.
Please take notice to North Mt Carmel Road. In Hampton, GA. Very dangerous. People have to go pass the Stop sign to see on Mt Carmel Road. Because of the Cemetery. So many car accidents.please take notice and do something.
You have to reminder that SR20 was a country road for so many years. Our older residents have welcomed new residents but do not want to make improvements, it will mean higher taxes. As it is, the older residents are not for the SPLOT tax. As Henry County has grown from 90,000 to almost 250,000 residents in 10 years. The County has only had the for site to keep up with the 1980 census. Henry and so many other counties have roads that crisscross there major towns which have now become over crowded with resident out of area passing thought. Because of the lack of GDOT acting to improve the local county traffic issues. Our Interstate system has been controlled at the Federal level with for year, having little to no voice in were the Federal money goes.
Looking a map of Georgia there only 3 major roads that travel east and west or north or south causing an increasing of volume on our side roads. Without East/West roads improved the traffic will only get worst.
Henry County has a very high volume of warehouses built and building more. That increase in space will in the next couple of years increase the volume of tractor-trailers. Almost 1800 more per day. Our Interstates and interchanges can ‘t handle that volume. Our GDOT and HCDOT are not planning or acting now to build the infrastructure need to handle the increase.
Both of our DOT agencies’ take anywhere from 5 to 10 years to make and complete projects. And there are non in the working.
We need every resident to start email our Senators, House Reps, Commissioners and Mayors that we need to act NOW.