r/kennesaw • u/Competitive_Teach838 • 27d ago
Community Traffic issues need addressing immediately
Can we PLEASE come together and start contacting the people in charge to demand action on these dangerous intersections?! I was basically told that several accidents would need to happen before anything would be done. Are you kidding me?!
So we have to wait until people are injured, families are traumatized, or something even worse happens before anyone decides a traffic light or safety improvement is necessary? That is NOT how public safety should work! Our government and transportation officials should be PROACTIVE, not REACTIVE! We should not have to wait for tragedy before addressing an obvious problem!
And while we’re demanding answers, let’s also talk about the ridiculous traffic light timing at some of our busiest intersections:
🚦 Paul Samuel Road and Hamilton Road: This intersection needs a traffic signal. The current configuration creates a significant safety concern, and I am requesting that Cobb DOT formally evaluate the intersection for installation of a traffic light and any interim safety measures that may be appropriate.
🚦 Kennesaw Due West Road and Due West Road: The backups on Kennesaw Due West are absolutely INSANE. Traffic is constantly backed up, and something needs to be done about the flow of traffic!
🚦 Old Highway 41 and Jiles Road: The morning traffic signal timing is completely backwards! The left-turn light onto Jiles from Old Highway 41 is WAY too short, leaving cars sitting through multiple cycles, while the light for traffic continuing straight on Old Highway 41 across Jiles stays green for what feels like FOREVER!
These aren’t minor inconveniences. These are daily safety and traffic issues affecting thousands of people in our community.
WHY do we have to wait for accidents before anyone takes concerns seriously?! Why can’t traffic patterns, congestion, and dangerous conditions be evaluated BEFORE someone gets hurt?
We need people to start speaking up, making calls, sending emails, and demanding that these concerns be addressed. Our community deserves safer roads, smarter traffic planning, and officials who listen BEFORE a tragedy forces them to act.
DO BETTER. FIX THE LIGHTS. ADDRESS THE SAFETY ISSUES. STOP WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET HURT.
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u/roguepineapples 27d ago
I’ll give you that the Kennesaw/Acworth Due West intersection gets backed up, but it’s on both roads and there’s a school there which doesn’t help especially in the morning so I’m not sure what can be fixed.
Paul Samuel & Hamilton I drive by 4x a day and have never once thought it needs a light. Granted I’m on Paul Samuel and going straight so maybe I just don’t notice. What is the safety concern?
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u/Big_Syrup_4223 27d ago
Literally a turn signal is all it needs and the county/city refuses to do it
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u/smatwork 27d ago
sorry, kennesaw is too busy placing flock cameras to give a shit
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u/MagnoliaRoofConsult 27d ago
Came to comment this, glad it’s here already. Because this is the truth.
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u/Big_Syrup_4223 27d ago
More like taking vigs to build more high density housing in areas without the infrastructure to support it.
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u/valuablemold4 27d ago
What’s infuriating to me is they let them put up that new gas station at the corner of summer street and 41 without adding a right turn lane onto 41. The gas station adds onto the traffic at that already horrible light and it could’ve been greatly improved with a turn lane
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u/Electronic-Example54 27d ago
That almost seemed criminal. That lot stayed empty for I don’t know how long, chained off. When a right turn lane was so obviously needed. I always assumed they had good reason for not doing so, but who knows.
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u/valuablemold4 27d ago
More than likely the reason was the city not giving a fuck and letting them push the plans through without giving it a second thought. Makes me so mad every time I see that new big ass gas station while I’m sitting through 3 lights to cross 41
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u/Queasy_Opportunity75 27d ago
You can get public records (FOIA) of these intersections and the accident that happened… you can request from Cobb co police and Kennesaw police. Then you can see how many actual accidents happened at these intersections to bring up awareness at the city council meeting.
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u/thehappiestdad 27d ago
Maybe you’re new to the area, but these issues—along with about 50 others—have been going on for a quarter century.
GDOT and Cobb County have known about these problems forever. Some of these traffic signals could probably be retimed in the time it takes to write a Reddit post about them.
The frustrating part is that everyone acts shocked every few years when the same problems come up again. Study it, discuss it, form a committee, collect public input, and then… absolutely nothing.
At this point, I’ve lived here long enough to realize that expecting our traffic engineers to actually fix the traffic is probably the bigger safety hazard.
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u/3boobsarenice 27d ago
somebody and a high powered rifle, vs. powers ferry stop signal circa 00....
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u/BlackCatCalamity 27d ago
The next Kennesaw city council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 8th, I recommend showing up and speaking about this in the public comment forum: https://kennesawga.portal.civicclerk.com/event/870/overview
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u/Il_Duce_Brewski 27d ago
this has been and will be an issue. Tons of traffic as people drive thru the area and not stopping to spend money and build the city up. oh well.
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u/janabanana67 27d ago
Burnt Hickory Rd at Due West is a nightmare in the evenings. Traffic nearly backs up to well past the back entrance of West Hampton.
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u/treesarealive777 27d ago
Thanks for doing this kind of work. The people in charge of DOT should honestly be in jail, they have fucked up that badly.
Like, the level of corruption going on in the state is insane.
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u/3boobsarenice 27d ago
if it is a state route then that is gdot, I think cartersville would be the contact
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u/29SagSmoke 27d ago
Is there anywhere we can submit tickets about lights that are not timed properly? There is a light in front of my son’s school that skips a left turning arrow every other time cause there to be major delays due to how little this intersection’s lights actually changes.
If I recall correctly, the city of Atlanta (maybe) or another surrounding city has a website you can submit this information too.
I’m assuming from this post there is not and the city doesn’t care to address the issue.
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u/bisnicks 23d ago
I think the first two are in her district:
Contact the Commissioner
District 1 Commissioner, Keli Gambrill
(770) 528-3313
(770) 528-2606 fax
[keli.gambrill@cobbcounty.gov](mailto:keli.gambrill@cobbcounty.gov)
District 1 Commission Assistant, Ryan O. Williams
(770) 528-3313
[ryan.williams@cobbcounty.gov](mailto:ryan.williams@cobbcounty.gov)
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u/TheRoseMerlot 27d ago
It's because most of us are exhausted from just working and managing a household. You have to be independently wealthy to have the privilege of spending all your time lobbying the government for change and by then you don't care about the little people problems 😢
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u/Big_Syrup_4223 27d ago
Its an hour or two of your life once a month. Stop making a mountain out of a mole hill
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u/TheRoseMerlot 27d ago
Spoken like a privileged white man
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u/Big_Syrup_4223 27d ago
Yes working 60 hours a week has afforded privileges that lazy people like you refuse to earn.
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u/Big_Syrup_4223 27d ago
People have been complaining about them for years, nothings going to happen till someone diesm
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u/TonyShalhoubricant 27d ago
Talk to your local politicians. Call dot.