Wrecks in work zone on decline

Richmond County authorities say accidents are down, but police have no plans to stop patrolling the Interstate 20 work zone anytime soon.

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"All of my traffic cars go out there several times," Maj. Richard Weaver said. "We've been there in the early morning; we've been there in the afternoon; we've been there throughout the day."

Deputies stepped up patrols along the construction project in May after three back-to-back accidents, including one in which a woman died. In recent weeks, however, the number of patrols has decreased, Maj. Weaver said.

"We haven't had the manpower to concentrate mainly on this as we did initially," he said.

Added patrols and an increased awareness by drivers caused a significant drop in the number of warnings and citations issued in the construction area in July, he said.

According to Cissy McNure, the district communications officer for the Georgia Department of Transportation, drivers must have gotten the point.

"I haven't observed a single accident through the construction zone since the patrols were increased," she said. "We had three major accidents before then, none since."

Ms. McNure said monitors that flash the speed of approaching cars also helped slow drivers down.

While police have focused on catching speeding drivers, construction crews have been plugging away to meet the DOT's deadline.

Construction on the Davis Road project is about 30 percent complete. Crews are setting beams along the expansion of the Davis Road Bridge, which spans I-20, and are installing storm drains along the road. The bridge deck will be poured at the end of August, with traffic switching to its new section by mid-October.

Construction is about half-finished farther east on I-20, where crews are working to extend the Crane's Creek drainage pipe, Ms. McNure said.

Workers finished the new pavement structure for the eastbound lanes of I-20 and will switch all traffic to that side of the interstate this month to allow for construction on the westbound side, she said.

The Crane's Creek project is expected to be finished by April, Ms. McNure said.

Construction on Davis Road is scheduled to be finished in January 2008.

Reach Adam Folk at (706) 823-3339 or adam.folk@augustachronicle.com