Traffic Signal In Planning for Major Stephens Co. Intersection

Plans are in the works to install a traffic signal at the intersection of Big A Road and the Toccoa By-pass.

On Monday, Toccoa City Commissioners unanimously voted to support an official request from the city to the Georgia Department of Transportation to install the light.

Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse said that the DOT’s master plan for the intersection as part of the Highway 17 widening project did involve a light.

However, he said that for the DOT to continue moving forward on the request, the city of Toccoa had to agree to some terms regarding the signal.

“The city may be requested to participate in maintenance, purchase, installation of the signal,” said Morse. “However, I expect this cost to be minimal if not zero because the purchase and installation of that traffic light is included in the contract for the four-laning project that is already underway. The city will have to pay the electricity and the telephone fees to operate the signal and that is estimated to be around $200 per month.”

Morse said that the city feels the light will help with public safety and traffic flow issues in that area, especially as Highway 17 becomes four lanes.

There is no specific timeline for when a light might get installed.

However, the plans as of the last report from the DOT was for the northern end of the Highway 17 widening project, between Toccoa and Scott Road, to be done in June.

According to the DOT, the southern section of the project between Scott Road and the Franklin County line is expected to be complete in late Fall.

Weather has delayed the project, which was originally set to be done by the end of this month.