New Washington Road traffic signal is out, but will it become permanent?
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – What stopped traffic for three weeks on Washington Road was in the back of a trailer heading to storage.
“With all the permissions we’ve done with GDOT (Georgia Department of Transportation), this is a temporary traffic signal for the Masters tournament, so now that the Masters tournament has concluded, we will remove it today,” said Augusta Traffic Engineer John Ussery.
But after three weeks, some drivers in the area say the signal will be missed.
“I liked it, and I would like to have it permanently. I resent the fact that the city spent so much money for just the Masters patrons to get into this little club here, and the rest of us have to do without,” said George Dodgen.
Washington Road is a state route, and Augusta only had a permit for a temporarily signal. To make it permanent, the city will have to make the case to the Georgia Department of Transportation.
“It will be a long process typically. It takes about two years to design and permit a typical traffic signal through the state,” said Ussery.
“I liked it. I mean, it’s safer,” said Kameron Morrison.
“Should it be permanent?”
“Yes, we don’t have enough lights on Washington Road. There are wrecks happening all the time,” she said.
One obstacle could be that the light just to the east is too close under state guidelines.
“There’s only 700 feet between those two traffic signals, which is half the distance that the state requires,” said Ussery.
The signal lights will be back for next year’s Masters, but if they will be here to stay, remains to be seen.
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