Lee County orders Winifred Road speed study as growth raises safety concerns

LEESBURG — Lee County will study traffic speeds along Winifred Road and consider lowering the posted speed limit following residential growth and the resurfacing of the increasingly traveled corridor.

The Lee County Board of Commissioners approved a $14,750 agreement Tuesday with Foresite Group LLC to collect traffic data, analyze driving speeds and recommend potential traffic-calming measures between Old Dawson Road and U.S. Highway 82.

Commission Chairman Luke Singletary said the improved road surface has made it easier for motorists to travel faster even as new development has placed more homes along the road.

“I travel that road a good bit, and with it being resurfaced, it’s a lot more comfortable going fast,” Singletary said. “There are a lot of houses that weren’t there before.”

County Manager Scott Addison said an earlier speed study was completed, but the Georgia Department of Transportation now requires the information to be submitted electronically and collected at several locations along the road.

The county also waited until students returned to school so engineers could measure traffic under more typical conditions, Addison said.

The new study will divide Winifred Road into four sections:

• Old Dawson Road to Wadsworth Avenue;
• Wadsworth Avenue to Hickory Grove Road;
• Hickory Grove Road to Cookville Road;
• Cookville Road to U.S. 82.

Engineers will collect 24-hour traffic counts and speed data on a typical weekday while local schools are in session. The agreement recommends collecting the information between Tuesday and Thursday.

The analysis will include average speeds, maximum speeds and the speed at or below which 85% of motorists are traveling. Engineers also will review at least 12 months of reported crash history.

Other considerations will include the number of homes, driveways and access points along the road, pedestrian and bicycle activity, lane and shoulder conditions, sight distances, surrounding land uses, and whether the corridor is rural, suburban or more heavily developed.

The study is intended to determine whether the existing posted speed limits remain appropriate and provide the documentation Lee County would need to submit a formal speed-limit change to GDOT.

Foresite Group also will recommend possible traffic-calming improvements. Those recommendations may include both lower-cost measures and larger, long-term safety projects.

The firm is expected to deliver its speed data, technical report and recommendations within eight weeks after receiving formal notice from the county to begin work.

Commissioners unanimously approved the study. The cost will be billed as a one-time fee after the work is completed.