Connect with us

Georgia

A major roadway connecting Athens and Atlanta may see changes. DOT seeks public input

Published

on

A major roadway connecting Athens and Atlanta may see changes. DOT seeks public input


The Georgia Department of Transportation is hosting a public hearing to release information on major changes planned for Georgia Highway 316.

The hearing, scheduled for April 23 in Statham, is geared at presenting the findings of a study and to gather community feedback.

The nearly 40-mile highway links metro Atlanta to the Athens Perimeter, making it the most highly traveled highway corridor between the capitol city and the state’s flagship university town.

The hearing is planned for 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Statham Community Center at 336 Jefferson St. A formal presentation is not planned for the meeting.

Advertisement

The study, according to DOT, is an examination of the 40-mile section of the highway from I-85 in Atlanta to the Oconee Connector in Oconee County.

“The study’s initial analysis showed that approximately 65 percent of the 40-mile corridor experiences crash rates higher than the statewide average,” according to a release from DOT.

The study, which began in 2022, is due to conclude this fall. The DOT report noted the changes based on safety, reducing congestion and supporting economic development.

The first five miles of the highway in the Atlanta area is considered a freeway, but the DOT reports it could be extended as a freeway from Buford Drive in Gwinnett County to the Athens Perimeter in Oconee County.

Advertisement

Highway 316: DOT: Improvements coming to Georgia 316 between, including in Oconee County

316 Development: ‘A very special project’: Tract near Athens envisioned as huge research/business hub

The study shows that accidents on the freeway sections are lower than similar highways in the state, while the number of accidents on the non-freeway portion is higher than similar roadways.

In the most recent fatal wreck, three people were killed at the State Route 11 intersection between Bethlehem and Winder, where major overpass construction is currently underway.

In 2021, Gov. Brian Kemp and the DOT announced a $828.8 million project to perform reconstruction projects at intersections.

Advertisement

The goal of the study is to find ways to find intersection and operations improvements to enhance safety.

“Our goal is not only to share information, but also to obtain the community’s input, which we can potentially incorporate into the study’s proposed final recommendations,” according to Jomar Pastorelle, the DOT project manager for the study.

A survey can be accessed at  State Route 316 – Survey 2



Source link

Advertisement

Georgia

Co-owner of Yurezz Home Center in Greeneville arrested in Georgia

Published

on

Co-owner of Yurezz Home Center in Greeneville arrested in Georgia


The co-owner of Yurezz Home Center in Greeneville has been arrested in Georgia, according to a report obtained by News 5.

Earlier this week, News 5 told you about the dealership in Greeneville that abruptly shut down last month.

This has left homeowners with partially built homes and employees without jobs.

It is not yet clear why Richard Altman was taken into custody.

Advertisement

This is a developing story.



Source link

Continue Reading

Georgia

Georgia Supreme Court upholds convictions of men in deadly shooting during gas station carjacking

Published

on

Georgia Supreme Court upholds convictions of men in deadly shooting during gas station carjacking


Two men found guilty of murdering a man while he was pumping air into his tires at a Georgia gas station will remain in prison, the Georgia Supreme Court has ruled.

Miles Chatezal Collins and Josiah Hughley, Jr. had appealed to the state’s highest court after they were found guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, violating Georgia’s Street Gang, Terrorism and Prevention Act, and hijacking a motor vehicle, among other charges in 2025.

The men’s charges stem from a shooting on July 10, 2022, at a QuickTrip gas station in Peachtree Corners. According to the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office, 30-year-old Bradley Lamar Coleman had stopped at the gas station to fill up his tires when Collins, Hughley, and a third man pulled up beside him and tried to steal his Dodge Charger.

When Coleman tried to stop the men, officials say they shot him and fled the scene.

Advertisement

Authorities say the three men were members of the Blood gang and had tried to steal the car to increase their status.

While their first trial ended in a mistrial due to a comment by the prosecution, a jury found Collins, Hughley, and their co-defendant, David Jarrad Booker, guilty of more than a dozen charges in 2025. They were each sentenced to life plus 145 years in prison.

In Collins and Hughley’s appeal to the state Supreme Court, they argued that there was insufficient evidence to support some of the charges and that the judge in the case improperly admitted certain evidence and committed errors in instructing the jurors.

The justices’ rulings disagreed, finding that their attorneys failed to object to the supposed errors and that the two men’s claims were insufficient.

The judges also found that a claim by Hughley that his counsel failed him by not asserting that a statement made to law enforcement should have been suppressed. With those findings, the Supreme Court chose not to overrule the case, letting the convictions and sentences stand.

Advertisement

“We are grateful for this affirmation from the Georgia Supreme Court,” Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “Thanks to the incredible work of our team of trial and appellate prosecutors, and all of the staff that assisted with defending these convictions, two dangerous criminals will remain in prison.”

Booker’s appeal remains pending.



Source link

Continue Reading

Georgia

Trooper injured in chain-reaction crash on Georgia 400

Published

on

Trooper injured in chain-reaction crash on Georgia 400


A Georgia State Patrol trooper and two other motorists were involved in a multi-vehicle chain-reaction crash that injured two people and blocked northbound traffic on Georgia 400 near Abernathy Road on July 7, 2026. (SKYFOX 5)

A Georgia State Patrol trooper sustained injuries Tuesday afternoon after striking the rear of a stopped vehicle on Georgia 400, triggering a three-vehicle chain-reaction crash. 

What we know:

Advertisement

The collision happened around 3:43 p.m. on the northbound lanes just south of Abernathy Road. 

A trooper was traveling north on Georgia 400 when traffic in front of the cruiser came to a sudden stop. The trooper was unable to halt in time and struck the rear of a second vehicle, which then slammed into a third vehicle. 

Advertisement

All three vehicles sustained enough damage to be towed from the scene, according to the state patrol report. The trooper had visible injuries and received treatment onsite, while medics transported the second driver to a local hospital. The driver of the third car complained of injuries but refused medical treatment at the scene. 

What we don’t know:

Officials have not yet confirmed the current medical conditions of the hospitalized driver or the injured trooper. It remains unclear what caused traffic to come to a sudden halt before the chain-reaction collision occurred. 

Advertisement

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Lt. E. Starling of the Georgia State Patrol DPS Public Information Office, who provided the preliminary crash details in an official statement. 

Sandy SpringsNewsCrime and Public SafetyTraffic



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending