Help could be on the way to relieve traffic congestion at the Hwy. 20-Market Place Boulevard crossing in Cumming.
During the first two weeks of July, the state Department of Transportation could repair the traffic signals so they respond to the flow of vehicles.
The signals haven’t received information from ground sensors since early February, causing the lights to change only on set time patterns.
Normally, the defect would have been repaired quickly. Due to budget woes, however, the department hasn’t had the money to repair the signals.
DOT spokesman Mark McKinnon said funding for the repairs likely could be pulled from the new budget, which begins July 1.
There won’t be funding for all signals in the state, but each transportation district would receive an equal amount of money to repair signals at busy intersections.
“Basically, it’s count-ing cars,” McKinnon said. “We know that Hwy. 20 and Market Place Boulevard is going to go to the top of the list. It’s just got a really high traffic volume. And their goal in that is to try to fix that within the first two weeks of July.”
Because Hwy. 20 is a state route, the department is responsible for the repairs, which would cost more than $2,000.
McKinnon said there are about eight other damaged signals in the local transportation district, but only one of those is in Forsyth, at the Pilgrim Mill exit off Ga 400 south.
Since funding hasn’t been assigned, there’s no way to determine how many, or which signals would be repaired.
“We want to fix the ones that affect the most motorists first,” McKinnon said.
E-mail Jennifer Sami at jennifersami@forsythnews.com.
During the first two weeks of July, the state Department of Transportation could repair the traffic signals so they respond to the flow of vehicles.
The signals haven’t received information from ground sensors since early February, causing the lights to change only on set time patterns.
Normally, the defect would have been repaired quickly. Due to budget woes, however, the department hasn’t had the money to repair the signals.
DOT spokesman Mark McKinnon said funding for the repairs likely could be pulled from the new budget, which begins July 1.
There won’t be funding for all signals in the state, but each transportation district would receive an equal amount of money to repair signals at busy intersections.
“Basically, it’s count-ing cars,” McKinnon said. “We know that Hwy. 20 and Market Place Boulevard is going to go to the top of the list. It’s just got a really high traffic volume. And their goal in that is to try to fix that within the first two weeks of July.”
Because Hwy. 20 is a state route, the department is responsible for the repairs, which would cost more than $2,000.
McKinnon said there are about eight other damaged signals in the local transportation district, but only one of those is in Forsyth, at the Pilgrim Mill exit off Ga 400 south.
Since funding hasn’t been assigned, there’s no way to determine how many, or which signals would be repaired.
“We want to fix the ones that affect the most motorists first,” McKinnon said.
E-mail Jennifer Sami at jennifersami@forsythnews.com.