After waiting covered with black bags the past few months, new traffic lights and pedestrian crossing signals were made operational last week at a busy East Ellijay intersection.
The intersection of Highway 52/River Street and First Avenue is among four intersections in a tri-county area receiving similar upgrades from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).
Also included in the project are Highway 515 and Ballewtown Road in Fannin County, as well as Highway 53 and Main Street and Highway 53 and Sammy McGhee Boulevard, both in Pickens County.
“The project upgrades the signals with pedestrian accommodations at each of them. (It) will also include installing islands, if the intersection warrants it, and additional striping,” noted Joe Schulman, communications officer for GDOT District 6.
With the newly lighted intersection providing a route to and from Highway 515, as well as nearby Industrial Boulevard, the bridge area regularly sees plenty of traffic, noted East Ellijay City Planner Mack Wood.
The small, but heavily-traveled area between the Highway 515 and Highway 52/River Street stoplights near Hardee’s has earned two less than enviable nicknames over the years -— the intersection from hell and malfunction junction.
“We appreciate GDOT’s (work). Anything that will improve the traffic flow at that intersection, we’re all for it,” Wood said.