Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Neighborhood Traffic topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge traffic study and enforcement on Eaton Circle and Barnhart Circle
Summary
Neighbors told the council of ongoing speeding, stop-sign violations and unsafe mini-bike use in the Eaton/Stovall and Barnhart Circle areas; city staff said a traffic-engineering study is required before installing signs and pledged to pursue extra patrols and feasibility checks.
Several Fort Oglethorpe residents used the appearances portion of the council meeting to press officials for traffic safety fixes on Eaton Circle, Stovall and Barnhart Circle, describing repeated stop-sign violations, speeding and unsafe operation of mini-bikes and go-karts.
One resident described drivers "coming up through going 35, 40 miles an hour now" and said riders on small motorcycles and scooters were riding without helmets, lighting or registration. Neighbors said increased police patrols in a recent period reduced the problem and urged the city to resume visible enforcement.
City staff told the council that traffic control changes (such as installing a new stop sign or speed-limit signage) require a traffic-engineering study and that the city is prepared to initiate such a study to evaluate feasibility. Staff also said extra patrols in the area could be pursued while the study is completed.
What happened: staff said they would examine feasibility and perform necessary engineering analysis before installing signs, and the city indicated it would pursue increased patrols in the short term. No formal ordinance or capital spending decision was made at the meeting.
Why it matters: residents said the traffic and unlawful vehicle use pose a safety risk for people who live and walk in the neighborhood; an engineering study is a required step under city policy before regulatory signage alterations are implemented.
What’s next: staff will proceed with a traffic-engineering study and return findings to council for any proposed traffic-control changes; residents requested continued visible patrols in the interim.
