SPLOST Projects Reducing Morning Wrecks, County Says

Cobb County's 2005 SPLOST projects are having a positive impact on residents' morning commutes, the county says in an official release.

A Cobb County Department of Transportation study of six intersections and corridors affected by projects paid for by a one-cent sales tax have seen an 85 percent reduction in morning accidents, reports the county's website.

Four projects were highlighted by the county's release, including a section of roadway in East Cobb that is near a controversial proposed townhome development.

Childers Road, which was the subject of a $2 million roadway alignment, signage update, and pedestrian improvement project from the intersection of Shallowford Road to the Fulton County line, has seen a 72 percent reduction in overall crashes, including a 64 percent reduction in rear-endings.

The study also reports that the removal of a two-way left turn lane and the addition of a southbound left-turn lane at Atlanta and Paces Ferry roads caused a 66 percent reduction in overall crashes, including an 85 percent reduction in morning rush hour wrecks.

At Villa Rica and West Sandtown roads, the $750,000 roundabout project has reduced waiting times during morning rush hour by 83 percent and during evening rush hour by 68 percent, the study finds.

A $7.4 million project to re-align, re-mark, and remove an acceleration lane from Wooten Lake Road between Wade Green to Shiloh roads created a 14 percent reduction in overall crashes, with a 30 percent reduction in rear-endings and non-rush hour wrecks. There was a slight increase in afternoon accidents and side swipes, however.

"Time is clearly showing these safety and operational investments have been effective in making our Cobb County residents and roads safer and more efficient," Faye DiMassimo, Cobb DOT director, said in a statement.