The Troup County Board of Commissioners discussed changing the speed limit on several county roads during its work session Thursday.

County Engineer James Emery spoke about suggested changes to State Route 14, Blue Creek Road, Mobley Bridge Road and Stovall Road, but most of the discussion centered around trying to make the heavily-traveled Adams Road safer.

Adams Road was not on the proposed list of changes, but several residents of that area spoke before the board Thursday, asking for a change to be made. Some of the testimonies from Adams Road residents were emotional, based on personal experience. Some had family members injured in wrecks, while others had fences knocked down repeatedly.

“I think something needs to be done and the citizens want something to be done,” said Wayne Bartley, who lives on Adams Road.

The commission was given a letter signed by residents of the road, who were asking for a speed limit change to be made. This is the second time this year that the commission has discussed Adams Road, which now sees approximately 834 vehicles per day. According to data from a February commission meeting, the average speed on that road has increased from 49.5 miles per an hour in 2012 to 58 miles per hour in 2017.

Adams Road currently has a speed limit of 45 miles per hour and has consistently become more traveled due, to the ease of access to nearby factories, such as Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia.

After listening to residents who spoke at the meeting, the commission agreed to add a vote on Adams Road to Tuesday’s agenda. The vote will encompass reducing the speed limit on the road from 45 to 35 miles per hour and adding a three-way stop at Adams Road and Jarrell Hogg Road.

The commission debated whether or not a lower speed limit would be enforceable in court, if the Georgia Department of Transportation did not agree to it, since GDOT approves the radar list for roadways.

“We probably will not have that resolved on Tuesday, but that seems to be the only thing in question,” said Commission Chair Patrick Crews. “It doesn’t say we can’t have patrols, it doesn’t mean we can’t move forward with changing the signs, but we might not be able to enforce it in court at that time.”

The other changes are also expected to be voted on Tuesday. They include changing the speed limit to 45 miles per hour on Lukken Industrial Drive East in an area near Clearview Elementary School, changing the speed limit in two areas on Blue Creek Road, changing the speed limit in two areas on Mobley Bridge Road and increasing the speed on Stovall Road to 55 miles per hour from Lower Big Springs Road to the Meriwether County line.