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Holly Springs committee to collect traffic data after repeated hits to Ash Street guardrail
Summary
The Public Works Committee discussed repeated crashes into the guardrail at Ash Street’s intersection with Merida Highway, considered options including removal, one-way conversion or closure, and decided to gather traffic counts and review studies before any action; formal motions were limited to approving minutes and adjourning.
Unidentified Speaker 2, a member of the public works committee, told colleagues the guardrail at the east end of Ash Street where it meets Merida Highway “has been struck many times,” and the committee spent the meeting weighing repair and access options.
Jacob, a city staff member, told the committee he reviewed 1970s-era plans and said the guardrail sits on city right-of-way but that the underlying work to widen a shoulder or realign the road would likely be on Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) property — described in the meeting as the interstate 'limit of access' — and therefore would require GDOT’s permission. “The fix is to take the guardrail up, take the fence up, and build a wider shoulder on the GDOT property,” Jacob said, adding that such a solution would be “a little more involved” and might not win GDOT approval.
Committee members discussed several interim and longer-term options: removing the guardrail (if the committee agreed), converting Ash Street to one-way traffic, or fully closing the street and redirecting traffic to nearby connections. Unidentified Speaker 4 and others urged caution, noting that making the street one-way or abandoning its use could shift traffic to neighboring roads and create backups.
Members repeatedly emphasized the need for data before changing access. Jacob and others said a traffic study would be required to evaluate signal needs or closure impacts; one member noted the city may already have relevant data from recent nearby projects. The committee agreed to gather existing studies and, if needed, commission traffic counts or a formal study, then revisit the item in January or February to consider consultant recommendations and possible cooperation with GDOT.
There was no formal motion or vote on repairs, removal, or closure during the meeting. The only formal actions recorded were a voice vote approving the Oct. 6, 2025 special-called Public Works Committee meeting minutes and a subsequent motion to adjourn.
Next steps: staff will compile available traffic data, identify whether a new traffic study is required, and return to the committee with findings in early 2026.
