Does Downtown Blue Ridge Have a One-Way Street on the Horizon?

BLUE RIDGE, Ga.—Oct. 9 Blue Ridge City Council members gathered to review their latest agenda. One item stood out to the board—traffic signs and a one-way street.

The Fannin County Accident Review Board encouraged the Fannin County Sheriff’s office to petition the Blue Ridge City Council to change the two-way road behind the courthouse—between Church St. and Summit St.—to a one-way street going northbound. It’s also been recommended that the speed limit be lowered on that section of road on West First Street.

As citizens of Blue Ridge may know from experience, there’s a lot of traffic on that section of road as far as people commuting through town, people parking to go into the courthouse or county jail. Often, the amount of traffic makes it hard to park, pull out, and overall navigate that stretch of road.

Council member Rhonda Haight stated, “Sheriff Kirby called me and said that they have had numerous accidents there and…at first he suggested a four-way stop and I think after looking at it, they may be thinking now maybe just a one-way street there.”

Mayor Donna Whitener responded, “I think with a four-way stop because they’re backing out into the road I think you’re going to still see people backing into the cars that are coming from the lower street.”

Council member Nathan Fitz asked, “So, come up the hill to the jail there’s only going to be one-way. So, when you come to the stop sign, turning right only, not turning left?”

Mayor Whitener, “Yes, they want the one-way to go back towards [Highway] 515.”

Fitz responded, “So, how do we reroute traffic coming down West First Street for people who need to go to Doss & Associates or any of those places?”

Council member Robbie Cornelius replied, “Just go straight.”

Mayor Whitener added, “Go down and then back up.”

Fitz confirmed, “So, you’d have to go down by the courthouse and then back up the hill?”

Council member Ken Gaddis asked, “What about school bus routes?”

Mayor Whitener replied, “They’ll have to do the same thing.”

Fitz stated, “I personally feel like I need a little more time with this to research it. I say we table it.”

Haight responded, “You can also get with Sheriff Kirby and he can go over the accident reports with you.”

Fitz made the motion that the council ‘table’ the petition for the one-way street until next month so that the members have time to think it over and research options Gaddis seconded the motion.

Will there be a one-way section of street on West First Street by the county jail? Stay tuned until the next council meeting.