Commission accepts donated traffic signal; debate centers on GDOT maintenance policy and long-term county costs
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Summary
The board accepted a developer donation to design and install a traffic signal at Highway 16 and the future industrial roadway but commissioners pressed staff about a new GDOT practice that places maintenance and utility costs on local governments (estimated ~$6,100/year). The MOU will be finalized by the county attorney before further action.
Public Works explained a proposed MOU for Spalding County to accept a donation from Highfall 16 LLC to design and install a traffic signal at Highway 16 (AKB) and a new industrial access road. The developer would fund installation; county staff would be the GDOT applicant and would assume ongoing utility and maintenance costs estimated at roughly $6,100 annually.
Several commissioners pushed back on what they described as a GDOT policy shift that increasingly assigns maintenance of signals on state highways to local governments. Commissioners argued local taxpayers should not shoulder perpetual maintenance costs for private development access, raised the possibility of requiring a developer-funded maintenance bond, and asked staff to negotiate the MOU carefully. Public Works noted that if GDOT determined a traffic-control device were required for safety or to satisfy a traffic study, denying the signal could affect the developer’s ability to develop the site.
The board accepted the donation concept and asked the county attorney to prepare the final MOU for consideration at a future meeting.
