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Warner Robins council approves $21,000 traffic study for Houston Lake Road corridor after debate over scope
Summary
Council approved a contract up to $21,000 for Maldino & Wilburn to study traffic at three key intersections on Houston Lake Road, amid public calls and council requests to expand the study’s scope to include pedestrian and bike safety and connectivity.
Warner Robins’ City Council on an October meeting approved a purchase order not to exceed $21,000 for Maldino & Wilburn to perform a traffic study of the Houston Lake Road corridor, moving the item from the consent agenda to business for fuller discussion.
The study, described by city planning staff as covering three intersections — Quarter & House & Lake; Quarter & Russell; and Russell & Houston Lake — was presented by Vic Savage of the city’s engineering and planning department (speaker 12). Savage said the study will examine existing conditions, project buildout from pending development applications, and recommend mitigation measures. He told the council the work would be paid from the funding source identified in the packet as “LMIC.”
Public commenter Tim Bridal (speaker 18) urged the council to pause the parking-lot decision and asked that the city require a multimodal scope that explicitly evaluates safety, walkability and bike connections for the North Houston Sports Complex. "If it only measures how quickly cars move and ignores safety, comfort, and long term value, then it's only doing half the job," Bridal said.
Mayor (speaker 1) and council members said they would ask the selected firm whether the multimodal elements could be included; staff said the company could be asked to expand scope or the city could hire a separate consultant for walkability. Councilman Lawrenson (speaker 11) moved to approve the study purchase; the motion passed by voice vote.
The council discussion also addressed whether a city-led study would relieve individual developers from commissioning separate traffic studies; planners said the city study is intended to take a holistic approach that could obviate duplicative developer work but that final permit requirements remain subject to council direction.
Next steps: the city will finalize the contract with Maldino & Wilburn and return with any amendments to scope or costs if the firm can incorporate multimodal analysis.
