A new traffic signal is nearly ready along a bustling Cumming retail corridor.
City Administrator Gerald Blackburn said the light by Wal-Mart on Market Place Boulevard should be operational by month's end.
Wal-Mart manager Russ Hilsher welcomed its arrival.
“Traffic has been pretty bad for a while ... trying to get out of the shopping center here, so it will make a big difference for everyone that is shopping here,” he said.
The new signal will also help customers access Lowe’s, across the street from Wal-Mart, as well as many other merchants along the winding retail strip.
Assistant City Administrator Steve Bennett said the signals were taken from Hwy. 9 by the Dairy Queen near downtown, where new signals have been installed.
“We had to use other stuff to make it work, but we used the bulk of those old lights here,” he said.
Bennett said the lights would have helped during the holiday shopping season, but “next year will be a lot easier.”
A sidewalk was also recently added near the site, which Hilsher said made the center more customer-friendly. The light will make even more difference.
“That’s been a concern of a lot of my customers, just the difficulty getting out of the parking lot," he said.
City officials announced the project in September, and work began during the fall.
The cost and other specifics of the project, which is being handled by Merritt Construction Co., have not been revealed.
City Administrator Gerald Blackburn said the light by Wal-Mart on Market Place Boulevard should be operational by month's end.
Wal-Mart manager Russ Hilsher welcomed its arrival.
“Traffic has been pretty bad for a while ... trying to get out of the shopping center here, so it will make a big difference for everyone that is shopping here,” he said.
The new signal will also help customers access Lowe’s, across the street from Wal-Mart, as well as many other merchants along the winding retail strip.
Assistant City Administrator Steve Bennett said the signals were taken from Hwy. 9 by the Dairy Queen near downtown, where new signals have been installed.
“We had to use other stuff to make it work, but we used the bulk of those old lights here,” he said.
Bennett said the lights would have helped during the holiday shopping season, but “next year will be a lot easier.”
A sidewalk was also recently added near the site, which Hilsher said made the center more customer-friendly. The light will make even more difference.
“That’s been a concern of a lot of my customers, just the difficulty getting out of the parking lot," he said.
City officials announced the project in September, and work began during the fall.
The cost and other specifics of the project, which is being handled by Merritt Construction Co., have not been revealed.