Camp Creek Parkway is a major roadway in South Fulton County. It serves several important functions. First, it is a roadway for South Fulton residents to get to and from work. Second, it is the major roadway that leads to shopping and entertainment at the Camp Creek Marketplace. Finally, truck drivers use Camp Creek Parkway to access I-285 from Fulton Industrial Boulevard. Given the utility of Camp Creek Parkway and the tremendous traffic volume, I often wonder what our leaders are doing to eliminate Camp Creek Crash from our vocabulary.
If you have lived in the South Fulton area for any amount of time, you are familiar with Camp Creek Crash. You recall when, on a Sunday afternoon, a young lady set off a chain-reaction crash that resulted in the deaths of five people. You also recall when a church bus overturned, resulting in at least one death. I’m also betting you recall when a tractor-trailer ran a red light near Butner Road and killed a young man.
As a personal injury lawyer, I represent crash victims across the country. But I’m especially sensitive to Camp Creek Crash, because, every day, I pass by areas where people were seriously injured or killed. And some of them were my clients.
Camp Creek Crash Solutions
As the City of South Fulton comes into reality, I hope officials address traffic on Camp Creek Parkway. I suggest a handful of “real” solutions. First, I would advocate limiting tractor-trailer traffic on Camp Creek. I understand this is a bit of a pipe dream. But, for the safety of my neighbors, tractor-trailers traveling from Fulton Industrial should access I-285 via Fulton Industrial to I-20 to I-285. This is especially true if they are going 285 North.
Second, the city should construct median barriers. The accident that killed the five people occurred because the young lady caused another vehicle to cross the grass median, unobstructed. My suspicion is that a median barrier will save lives.
Third, speed is always a concern. I frequently see motorists traveling in excess of 85 miles an hour on Camp Creek. They do this because they know there is rarely deterrence from law enforcement. How many times have you actually seen a traffic cop with a radar gun?
Finally, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently reported on the improvement of the interchange of Camp Creek Parkway and I-285. We all know that traffic there is terrible. The proposed “diverging diamond” interchange should help that. Ironically, it might allow traffic to move at increased speeds. But the smoother flow of traffic might also limit the amount of time cars are on the roadway. Maybe this will help with Camp Creek Crash.
I certainly do not have all the answers and am just engaging in dialogue. I love living in South Fulton, and I would be happy not to get another call about a Camp Creek Crash.
