Henry County Accepting Bids for a Temporary Traffic Light

Satellite image showing East Lake Road between state routes 20 and 155 (Google Earth image).
(Google Earth image)

Henry County is accepting bids for a temporary traffic light on East Lake Road. Bids are due by October 4, 2023.

The temporary signal will be at East Lake Road and Elliott Road. SPLOST V has an ongoing design contract looking at further improvements along the roadway.

East Lake Road Temporary Traffic Light

Since SPLOST IV paved Elliott Road in 2018, residents have raised concerns about improving the East Lake intersection. It presently operates as a side-street stop control. Motorists on East Lake Road move through the intersection; whereas, those on Elliott have a stop sign. The intersection is located east of the Union Grove school cluster.

In 2019, the Henry County SPLOST V program set aside design only funds to look at the intersection. The program also budgeted design only funds for a future widening of East Lake Road. SPLOST V collections began in April 2020. In December of that same year, the county approved a design contract for East Lake Road. Bundled within that contract was design work for two other intersections: East Lake at Rowan Drive, and East Lake at Airline. Of the aforementioned projects, only East Lake at Airline has sufficient funds in SPLOST V to advance to construction.

Now, the county is accepting bids to install a temporary light at East Lake and Elliott Road. A temporary light will make no major changes to the intersection such as building turn lanes. Rather, the contractor will install a signal over the existing roadway. The ”temporary” designation implies the county will make more substantial improvements at a later date. This would likely coincide with the future widening of East Lake Road. But, please note, there is no funding set aside nor timeframe to pay for such widening.

Contractors’ bids are due by October 4, 2023. Afterwards, county staff will review the bids received. The board of commissioners should consider a contract award before the end of the year.

Henry County expects construction will last no more than sixty days. Such timeline could have the new signal operational by spring 2024.

East Lake at Airline Road

As previously mentioned, the SPLOST V program includes funds to improve East Lake at Airline Road. It’s expected the intersection will become a roundabout. As of July 2023, right of way plans were in progress for the project. Utility relocation plans were likewise in progress. With this in mind, it could be late 2024 before the project is ready to begin construction. Then, a roundabout typically has a one-year build time.

Featured image shows the East Lake Road corridor. Google Earth photo.

About Clayton 1745 Articles
Clayton Carte is the founder and owner of The Henry Reporter. He founded the site in 2017 to highlight transportation projects. Over time, he began covering other topics like new development so residents can best know what’s happening in our community.

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