Dougherty County Commission tackles speeding, flooding complaints

ALBANY — Flooding on Lovers Lane Road and speeding drivers in the Gatewood community have led affected residents to seek assistance from the Dougherty County Commission on multiple occasions during the year.

On Tuesday, commissioners heard reports and held lengthy discussions on both of those issues and also received a petition from residents concerned about speeding on Astoria Drive.

The report provided to commissioners indicated that the majority of drivers are driving at or close to the speed limit on Astoria Drive.

A one-week traffic study that measured speeds in three locations of cars traveling north and south showed that 85 percent of drivers were driving at ranges of between 29 miles per hour or less to 33 miles per hour or less. The posted speed limit is 30 miles per hour in the section of roadway where the study was conducted.

Residents have complained of drivers passing through the neighborhood at excessive speeds on three occasions this year.

County Public Works Director Chuck Mathis told commissioners he spoke with residents in the neighborhood to determine at what times they noticed the most speeding cars passing through.

“Their answer was on the weekends, Saturday and Sunday, when speeding is most prevalent,” he said.

During times when there is a significant amount of activity at the nearby Robert Cross Park is when the residents said they noted the highest volume of speeding drivers.

“They’re coming through there (Astoria) like they’re still on MLK Drive,” Mathis said. “I suggested to them (that) one of the things we can do is have law enforcement patrolling when those events are going on.”

The cost to place speed-calming devices and signage in the area would be between about $9,000 to $24,000, depending on the material used for the devices.

Commissioner Victor Edwards, who requested the traffic study, said that residents also reported two accidents on a curve on the street that resulted in cars traveling into residents’ yards and damaging property.

“I guess I’m going back to this is what the residents want,” he said. “We’ve been procrastinating on this issue since February. For me, one person, I say put it on the agenda and vote it up or down.”

Addressing the flooding issue, Dougherty County Emergency Management Director Cedric Scott, the Albany Fire Department chief, said he has had discussions with the Crisp County Power Commission and Georgia Power Co. about the dams they operate at Lake Blackshear and Lake Chehaw, respectively.

Those talks were productive, he said, and there will be further discussions in the future.

A resident whose home on Lovers Lane Road flooded in March 2020 told commissioners that rain events are sometimes compounded by the release of water from Lake Blackshear ahead of a storm, sending more water into Lake Chehaw and area creeks.

Georgia Power is limited in the amount of water it can release to prevent flooding.

The county has requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission grant the utility the authority to release water ahead of a heavy rain event.

Scott also recommended the placement of a water gauge on Lake Chehaw, as requested by residents.

Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]
Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]