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DOUGHERTY COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - After several public town hall meetings with community members expressing concerns, the intersection of US-19 (also known as Liberty Expressway) and Nelms Road is set to be modified, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) announced on July 24.

GDOT said crews will begin to modify the intersection on August 5. They said this road work will change the traffic pattern for drivers traveling on Nelms Road. Traffic patterns on US-19 are not expected to change during the modification or after it’s finished, GDOT said.

The department said they plan to convert the intersection to a Reduced Conflict U-Turn (RCUT). This means drivers on Nelms Road will have to turn right onto US-19. Drivers wishing to go in the other direction would first turn right onto US-19, then make a U-turn at a designated turnaround place. GDOT said this plan will make for fewer possibilities of drivers colliding with other vehicles.

According to WALB’s previous coverage, many residents directly opposed the RCUT plan when it was discussed at a town hall meeting in June.

Currently, GDOT said that short-term lane closures are in place while crews are adding paving. They said these lane closures will continue in August while the intersection is being modified.

GDOT said the project is expected to be complete by August 8.

According to the Dougherty County Police Department, over 20 crashes have occurred at this intersection since 2020.

Related coverage:

• Second town hall set to discuss deadly South Ga. intersection
• Residents demand change at meeting to discuss deadly intersection
• Town hall being held for proposed changes at intersection of Liberty Expressway and Nelms Road
• Aunt pleads for answers over two weeks after 20-year-old dies in crash on Nelms Road
• 20-year-old dead following Wednesday morning crash

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