Dear editor:

As a Newton County resident and a subscriber to your paper, I just read your article, "GA 212 to get more stoplights," and would just like to make a comment.

While I agree that more stoplights and traffic control and better flow are needed on that busy highway, I can only hope that these upcoming improvements are better planned than the recently added stoplight at Ga. 212 and Ga. 20 (near the intersection with Brown Bridge).

Honestly, the addition of that stoplight has not improved the rush-hour commute for Ga. 212 commuters heading east at all. There is virtually no opportunity (still) to turn right at the lights to continue on Ga. 212.

Why, you ask?

Well, probably because whoever designed timing of the lights did a poor job.

Because the light at Brown Bridge and Ga. 20/Ga. 212 turns red first, the traffic stops and starts to back up on Ga. 20. By the time the light at Ga. 212 turns red for the Ga. 20 commuters, and green for the Ga. 212 commuters, the traffic on Ga. 20 is backed up solid from Brown Bridge Road through the lights.

So, there the Ga. 212 commuters do not actually get a green light, because there is nowhere to go. By the time the traffic on Ga. 20 starts moving again, the light is once again green in their favor, so the Ga. 212 folks are still sitting there.

If you haven’t experienced what I’m talking about, perhaps you should go over there and sit for a couple of days around 5:30 p.m. and watch how the flow does not work.

That’s just my opinion, as I believe that light was a waste of tax dollars since it was poorly planned and really does not improve traffic flow at all. Hopefully, our tax dollars will be better spent on these upcoming projects. After all the congestion and poor traffic flow planning I’ve seen in Newton County (i.e. Salem Road is a prime example), I’m not holding my breath.

Susan Fiese