AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – It’s is something CSX Railroad really wants to stop, traffic going under the Olive Road overpass because they’ve grown tied of the hits that keep on coming.
Olive Road is closed right now at the overpass, following its latest truck-trestle collision.
That creates an inconvenience for drivers like Angela Overton who had plans to go under it.
“Exactly so I’m just going to have to make this detour and go back down Wrightsboro Road,” said Ms Overton.
The overpass has been a magnet for mishaps, CSX says eight strikes just this year, despite all the signs warning drivers, the company went before Commissioners to say the warnings don’t work.
“So we’ve petitioned the commission to go into an agreement to close the roadway,” said Todd Allton of CSX.
No traffic would mean no bridge hits, but the city isn’t prepared to say yes now.
“We really wouldn’t like to close it. We want to keep it open. It’s a benefit to the neighborhood to keep it open. The detours around it are lengthy,” said John Ussery, Augusta Traffic Engineer.
“No I don’t think it should close,” said Overton.
Traffic Engineers are suggesting options to avoid the collisions like speed bumps and signs with imbedded lights, what engineers don’t want are those signs that say ‘hit this and you’ll hit that bridge’.
“I’m really not for that idea, anytime you put something over the road that people are going to hit you open yourself up to all kinds of liability issues. It’s not something that I would recommend but it’s up to the commission really,” said Ussery.
Traffic Engineers say they will present their options for the Olive Road Overpass at their next meeting along with the cost estimate.
