Did the combined efforts of Dade County, the city of Trenton and the Dade Board of Education get a long-awaited traffic light in front of Dade County High functioning by the first day of school this week? Nope.
However, the Georgia Department of Transportation has deployed two signs on either side of the light explaining that it will be operational shortly.
“It’s some sort of safety rule,” said Dade County Executive Ted Rumley. “I’d never heard of it before”
Apparently Georgia Power and NABCO, the Chattanooga electrical contractor hired by Dade, Trenton and the school board to install the coveted traffic light did their jobs as billed last week and got the traffic light ready to rip by the first day of school.
But because of the state rule, it can’t flash into action until the two temporary signs have had eight days to sink into drivers’ consciousness that the light will be functioning next week.
“It was ready last Friday,” said the county boss. “It could have been turned on Friday if not for the rule.”
The temporary GDOT signs proclaim that the light will be working Aug. 15, next Tuesday.
Until then, said Rumley, School Resource Officer David Duvall is as usual going out to direct traffic on 136 during school congestion time. “He said he’ll sure be glad when that light starts working,” said the Boss.
Rumley said many residents may not realize how many drivers there are at the high school, how far traffic backs up on 136 in the mornings and afternoons, and how perilous it is for the cop who has to stand out in the road in the middle of it all. “It’s a pain," said Rumley, "and it’s dangerous.”
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