Share and Follow
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. () — Summer and the height of tourist season is approaching fast.
That means Tybee Island will see peak crowds and peak traffic very soon.
The Georgia Department of Transportation is proposing a new plan to reduce congestion ahead of that peak.
One of the biggest changes in the plan is that there would no longer be a merge from two lanes to one coming off the island.
Instead, there would be only a single lane on either side of US 80 from the tip of the island to where the merge is now.
To help compensate for that, GDOT says they would add a center turn lane so cars don’t block traffic behind them when they have to turn.
“Theoretically, the engineers tell us it’s going to work just as well because we’re gonna have a center turn lane. So, the traffic that’s turning left is going to get out of our way and get in the turn lane. And traffic going right is going to turn right and get out of our way,” Brian West, Mayor of Tybee Island, said.
The turn lane would also provide an avenue for emergency vehicles that need to get through in the event of a crash.
“When that traffic is blocked and we have an emergency and need to get emergency vehicles off the island, that’s not good. So, we’ve been working with the state and traffic control to make sure that traffic keeps moving at all times so our emergency vehicles can exit the island,” West explained.
A couple of other changes include more condensed parking options along the beach side of US 80 and new bike paths from Tybrisia St. to South Campbell Ave.
According to GDOT, there have been over 600 crashes on the stretch of road in question over the last ten years.
Locals do say the merge causes extreme backups in the summer months.
“There was one point where I was trying to work my shift, and I finally got there after three hours of traffic, and they’re just like, ‘nobody can come in anyway, so, we’re closing down.’ and I got to my job, and they were like ‘don’t worry about work,’ so, I’m like okay, I guess I’m on Tybee for a little bit,” Justin Hampson, who works on Tybee, said.
GDOT is holding a meeting for public comment from 4-8 p.m. tomorrow at the Guard House on Tybee Island.
All are welcome to come and submit comments.
