Burnt Hickory Road Connector Includes Bartow's First Roundabout

CARTERSVILLE, GA -- The long awaited Burnt Hickory Road/U.S. 411 connector is finally open to motorists.

Bartow County announced the news last week of the project's completion, which ties the north end of Burnt Hickory Road to U.S. 411. The project also created a new intersection on U.S. 411 at Shaw Plant X. 

The overall intent of the project is to ease traffic congestion at the U.S. 411/U.S. 41 merge and provide an easier access for motorists commuting via U.S. 411 and S.R. 113. 

The connector also provides four-lane access from the intersection of U.S. 411 to Burnt Hickory Road where motorists will proceed through Bartow's first roundabout. 

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Statistical data provided by the Transportation Research Board indicates that roundabouts "have been proven to be much safer for motorists than the traditional stop and go intersection," the county said in its press release. 

A study shows that the total number of crash points is reduced from 32 at a typical four-way stop to eight in a roundabout. The study also revealed that the 55 intersections included in the nationwide study, where roundabouts replaced stop and go intersections, saw a 35 percent decrease in the number of crashes, the county stipulates. 

The county's top priority, it stated, is to provide motorists with safe road and travel conditions, and "it is our goal to continue to make improvements where needed to meet the demands of growth and a changing environment." 

The county expressed its gratitude to Southland Engineering for providing expert engineering design and oversight of the project and Northwest Georgia Paving for their due diligence in ensuring motorists’ safety during the course of the project.

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