WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — No one likes it when you're delayed by heavy traffic.
Most people in Warner Robins associate traffic with Houston Lake Road.
When you talk to people in Warner Robins about Houston Lake Road, you'll hear a common word.
"Busy," Michael Harris said.
Now Warner Robins is getting to work on a partial solution. They will conduct a traffic study to determine if another red light will be added to the road.
Harris has lived in the city since the early 90's. He said he's seen Houston Lake Road renamed and even go from one lane to two. He said that over time it's become a bit dangerous.
"There have been several accidents at the intersection of Kathryn Ryles and Houston Lake Road where the gas station is," Harris said.
He said one of those included his daughter.
Harris said traffic isn't just busy after work and school hours. He said that Sundays bring a crowd of cars after church lets out in the area. said traffic
"That would be a good intersection for a traffic light," Harris said.
A stop light may be on the way, but not yet at Kathryn Ryles Road. The city will conduct a traffic study at the intersection of Tucker Place and Houston Lake Road. It will help leaders determine if they will place a light or find an alternative. The engineering consultants are based in Atlanta and the city will pay $15,500 for the survey.
"They need to consider where, so that you're not interrupting the flow and really causing the flow to back up even more because you have traffic stopping at every traffic light," Harris said.
Harpers Ridge Subdivision neighbors are big advocates for the light, as they've wanted it for years. As more people move to the area, they have trouble getting in and out of their subdivision, especially making left turns on the divided highway.
While neighbors are eager to see the results, the road isn't all bad. Many neighbors said that the flow of cars is always good for local businesses like Lightning Auto Detail, which sits off Houston Lake near Feagin Mill Road. As cars drive past, they always welcome the steady flow to pull over.
"As long as traffic is flowing, advertising, word of mouth, business is good here," Anthony Johnson shared.
Johnson says he gets caught in traffic sometimes around 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. and they see the most traffic on weekdays. Employees even said they've seen occasional accidents, including on Friday.
So while traffic can always be better enforced, the exposure is always a plus.
"It's good for business, it's good for the community here and businesses around," he shared.
Long-term Harris says a northbound and southbound bypass that goes around the city from 247 to 75 may help curb traffic.
"That would allow some of the traffic that comes up Watson and Russell Parkway to flow around Warner Robins. That was one of the other concerns that I had. That could also help with traffic. I also realized that if they're flowing around the town that can also affect retail sales within Warner Robins, so it's a give and take," Harris shared.