Shirley Urges Caution on New Ga. 17

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley is urging caution for drivers as the new four-lane Highway 17 opens up.

Much of the road between Toccoa and Franklin County is already four lanes, though the area between Scott Road and Hayes-Wilbanks Road remains a two-lane highway.

According to the sheriff, there have already been some minor accidents.

Meanwhile, a final traffic shift is expected on September 9.

With that in mind, Shirley said drivers need to be careful about the new traffic patterns and the new road.

“We are asking folks, especially parents that carry their children to school and going to work using that highway, even in the bordering counties that come to Stephens or through Stephens to get to a job site somewhere else, pay particularly close attention to the speed limit and to all of those intersections.”

Shirley said drivers also need to be aware of people turning off of the new highway.

“A lot of the folks that live on the four-lane highway do not have a turning lane to get into their private driveway, which means they will have to come to a real slow speed to get into their driveway,” said Shirley. “Be prepared for that.”

As soon as the new roadway opens, the sheriff said his office will begin an aggressive traffic enforcement campaign.

He says the goal is to ensure drivers are paying attention, obeying road signs, and not driving in a manner that would endanger other drivers.

“We are looking for aggressive drivers,” said Shirley. “We are looking for people who are tailgating and certainly we will have our radar, looking for people.”

Shirley says he hopes that through these efforts, the number of accidents that all too commonly occur when a new higher speed roadway is opened can be reduced.