IF YOU GOWhat: Public meeting on planned road work in Whitfield CountyWhen: 5-7 p.m. today (Note: this is a correction from the time printed in today's paper)Where: Dalton Freight Depot, 305 S. Depot St.
The public will get a glimpse today of plans to ease congestion at one of Dalton's busiest intersections through a traffic roundabout.
Georgia Department of Transportation engineers have formalized plans to merge State Route 52 just west of Walnut Avenue, Dug Gap Mountain Road and the Interstate 75 southbound off ramp into a large roundabout.
The exit 333 intersection that leads to Dalton State College and the NorthWest Georgia Trade and Convention Center now is controlled by a signal light, but traffic backs-up and accidents happen often.
The proposed project includes moving West Bridge Road to the west to better separate the two intersections, according to a GDOT news release.
The public can learn about the plans and comment at a hearing tonight.
"We would like to hear the viewpoints and concerns of all area residents," said Kent Sager, district engineer at the GDOT office in Cartersville. "The Georgia DOT strongly believes that, since this project is intended to serve the people of Whitfield County, the ideas and preferences of these people are important."
The proposed five-leg, two-lane roundabout is part of a larger state plan to use roundabouts instead of traffic signals when possible.
Georgia DOT's policy is that roundabouts "shall be considered as an alternative for all new intersections and those that are being reconstructed, including those where a traffic signal is being proposed," DOT spokesman Mohamed Arafa has said. "This is especially true for intersections that have been identified as needing major safety or operational improvements."
One more roundabout is planned for Dalton in the coming years, and Chattanooga has installed more than a dozen over the last decade.
Supporters say roundabouts, more commonly seen in Europe, are usually cheaper to install and maintain, slow motorists, reduce right-angle crashes and lessen traffic back-ups.
Contact staff writer Adam Crisp at acrisp@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6323.