DOT proposes creating new four-way stop at dangerous intersection in Franklin
By Leo A. Hohmann
leo@wgbeacon.com
More than two years after the city of Franklin made a plea for help with a dangerous intersection, the State Department of Transportation has anted up a plan that it thinks will save lives.
At least five people have been either killed or seriously injured over the past 10 years at the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 27 and Ga. Hwy. 34 at South River Road.
Mike England, the DOT’s district engineer, laid out his draft plan at the Franklin City Council meeting last Thursday. He told the Mayor and council to take their time and evaluate the plan fully before deciding whether they like it.
The main tenant of the plan calls for creating a four-way stop at the intersection and also creating a middle turn lane on Hwy. 27.
“The concern two years ago was the intersection at the bottom of the hill. I am concerned about that too,” England said. “What we’re proposing is taking one of the lanes on 27 and making it a two-way left-turn lane all through town.”
England said that would give motorists a chance to “get out of the main flow of traffic” when deciding to turn. “It gets them off the main thoroughfare so they don’t have to worry about being rear-ended.”
The other major tenant is a lowering of the speed limit on Hwy. 27, from 45 down to 35 miles per hour, within the city limits of Franklin.
To read the complete story, please pick up a copy of this week's issue of The West Georgia Beacon.
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Festival a big hit, alumni football game hard hitting
By Leo A. Hohmann
leo@wgbeacon.com
Hogansville had one of its best turnouts ever for the Hummingbird Festival as the combination of perfect fall weather, music, arts, crafts and plenty of succulent festival food proved too much to resist for folks far and near.
Organizers said around 10,000 people attended Saturday and about 6,000 came on Sunday.
The alumni flag football game Saturday night featured Hogansville High alums vs. arch-rival Heard County. The old fellas still had a lot of fight in them, too much in fact, as Police Chief Guy Spradlin had to call the game after several “skirmishes” broke out on the field. The fans screamed “let them play” and the players promised to tone down the intensity, so Spradlin let the game resume. Hogansville won 12-0 but Heard County put up a good challenge, said Todd Pike, organizer of the game and a participant on the Hogansville side.
“There were a few little skirmishes: the first thing I can remember happening was I threw a pass that our guy caught and the guy just tackled him, didn’t even go for the flag,” Pike said. “I went to the ref and said they got to go for the flags or there’s going to be trouble.”
Pike said some of the Heard runners were tying their flags down so they couldn’t be pulled off. Players couldn’t get the flags off, so they ended up tackling them, and it was to where people were hittng a guy hard and then they would hit back.”
A near brawl broke out in the third quarter, and that’s when Chief Spradlin came out and stopped the game.
“It wasn’t no big fist fight, just a big pile and a lot of pushing,” Pike said. “But after that everyone was on the field talking and shaking hands.”
So the chief gave the OK, as long as there were no more extracurricular activities.
“It was a good game,” Pike said. “Everybody left with no hard feelings and I’m hoping they’ll invite us back up there to Franklin next year and if everything goes well I’m hoping they’ll come back here for the next festival.
“They actually played better than I thought they would because they don’t do it as often as we do.”
Pike said it was the hardest hitting “flag” football game he’s ever participated in.
“I know I’m sore,” he said on Monday, two days after the game. “Boy they hit me good a few times. As for who started it, I’m sure if you ask them they’ll tell you it was us. And if you ask us...
“But it just shouldn’t have happened, period. Senseless really. But I hope there won’t be any lingering hard feelings.”
Is he kidding? This is Hogansville-Heard County we’re talking about. They hated each other 10 and 20 years ago, and they hate each other still. It’s a rivalry...good natured of course.
Pike said the crowd was smaller than usual this year but they still netted $528 in ticket sales. |
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