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Troup County approves closing Adams Road connection to State Route 18 after heated public comment
Summary
After more than an hour of public comment and staff presentations on long-running speeding and safety concerns, the Troup County Board of Commissioners voted to close the Adams Road access to State Route 18 and directed staff to develop implementation plans.
The Troup County Board of Commissioners voted Feb. 17 to close the Adams Road connection at State Route 18 after extended public comment, staff presentations and a recommendation from the county sheriff's office.
Commissioner Scott (speaker 9), who led the discussion on Adams Road, moved to close the intersection; a colleague seconded the motion and the board voted to approve it. Chair (speaker 1) said afterward that the roads department and county staff would develop plans and next steps.
Residents described recurring dangers on Adams Road, including high-speed passing, school-bus near-misses and crashes. "I live in fear literally every morning when my child gets on the school bus," said Sarah Franks (speaker 14), who lives on Adams Road. Philip Stewart (speaker 3) told the board he had been in three head-on collisions and urged immediate action: "We've asked for 16 years. Shut the road down and let us have our roads back."
County engineering staff summarized past interventions — speed reductions, radar-activated signs, a three-way stop, rumble strip installation and removal — and presented data showing enforcement and signage reduced instances of drivers exceeding the posted speed by more than 10 mph to less than 2% after the signs were in place for several weeks. The county engineer (speaker 10) said a full bridge replacement by Georgia DOT was programmed for more than a year out; short-term repairs would not restore the bridge to a rating that allows loaded semitrailers.
Captain Taylor (speaker 4) and the sheriff's office submitted a formal recommendation included in the meeting packet supporting a permanent traffic-pattern change at this intersection to address ongoing public-safety risks. County counsel (speaker 11) advised the board that he did not see statutory authority allowing the county to "permanently barricade an actively used access point on a public road," and recommended caution; the board nevertheless approved the motion, and Chair (speaker 1) said staff would coordinate legal, roads and public-safety steps to implement the closure.
The decision directs county staff and the roads department to prepare the specific closure plan and related notifications; the chair said more details would follow as staff outlines timing and implementation.
