DODGE COUNTY, Ga. — As you drive through Dodge County, you might relate to the issues some commuters said they're facing on Cochran Highway.
One woman, Shelby Bennett, said she noticed people speed as they drive through the stretch in front of her work.
"One minute, you're going slow, and the next minute you're going fast," she said.
On top of that, the visibility issues have been driving her crazy.
At a first glance, the road appears fine while driving southeast on Cochran Highway. However, as drivers approach the Dollar General, they're close to what the locals call "the bad curve."
Bennett's lived in Dodge County for about 16 years since she was 11 years old. She said she's used to the roads around Gresston because she works on Cochran Highway at the Kuntry Mart. However, she explained that the bend she drives on everyday has a visibility problem, which "could be a little dangerous for people that don't know this highway."
The longtime Georgia native said she cares about the people that live in her town, which she described as "a small community."
"A lot of people, they come to the store or the Dollar General, they're on their buggy, they're on their four wheeler, their dirt bike, just having fun," she said.
The speed limit on Cochran Highway is 55 miles per hour, but drops down to 45 as you approach the bad curve. Despite the 10 mph drop, Bennett said she doesn't see many drivers slow down.
"A lot of older people, they don't wanna speed they don't like speeding and then somebody just flies by them. It startles them," she said.
The state recently finished some construction to expand the highway to four lanes. she said it's improved and "much safer" because there's more space for people to drive at their own pace. However, Bennett and several people in the area agreed there's room for improvement because of how drivers cross the road with their vehicles coming in various directions. They said they'd feel safer driving through the area with more signals and signs.
We reached out to the Dodge County Public Works Department about the concerns Bennett and people in the area shared with us.
"Dodge County will address the 55 mph signage that is currently placed on adjoining county roadways once construction is complete and confirmed with GDOT," County manager Conner Bearden said in a statement. "Dodge County will replace these with 45 mph signage."
He continued to explain the roads that lead into Cochran Highway were improved with the recent construction completed by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
"The roadways that contain curves previously adjoined HWY 87 at 45 degree angles," Bearden said. "These angles create a higher probability of an accident when compared to roads that adjoin at 90 degrees. This data is derived by considering blind spots created in the passenger compartment through window and pillar placement. With this data, the state has mitigated the danger by adjoining the majority of roadways at the safer angle. 90 degree angles give the driver a clear view from both front windows. The roadways previously at a 45 degree angle include Gresston Baptist Church Road and Wilson Woodard Rd."
Bearden added some benefits of the project are "turn lanes are now introduced where previously none existed which will help decrease the likelihood of rear end collisions" and "all [railroad] crossings now have crossarms, as per state regulation on a four lane highway." He added that he's "confident that GDOT District 2 engineers have designed the roadway to be safe" and that they "have considered all traffic data in order to mitigate potential vehicle collisions and ensure pedestrian safety."
We also reached out to the state transportation agency about the same concerns.
"We are not aware of any complaints," District 2 Spokesperson Will Volk said in a statement. "The project on Cochran Highway had all lanes open to traffic on August 23, 2024. As part of the project, new curve signs were installed. We will monitor the area to determine if further actions are necessary. The speed limit is 45mph through this section of highway. The Georgia Department of Transportation strongly encourages all drivers to obey posted traffic signs. Safety is always our number one priority. We encourage drivers to reach out to us if they have any concerns."
Are any roads around Central Georgia driving you crazy? You can contact us at news@13wmaz.com.