JasonT

Freight Trains stopped, excessively blocking crossings.
This issue affects the City of McDonough as a whole, but specifically five Railroad / Highway at-grade crossings and they are as follows:
Jonesboro St. (DOT Crossing # 718408K)
Hampton St. (DOT Crossing # 718409S)
Lyman Stringer Blvd. (DOT Crossing # 718410L)
(Old) Griffin Rd. (DOT Crossing # 718411T)
Racetrack Rd. (DOT Crossing # 718412A)
The Railroad tracks are owned and operated by Norfolk Southern.
Southbound trains are constantly stopping and performing a crew change in McDonough. (Blacksville) The lead locomotives are located near the GA-155 overpass, while the rest of the train is blocking the crossings mentioned above. This process can take several hours depending on the availability of crews.
It is a Federal Law that trains may not stop and block a public highway crossing for more than five minutes unless there is severe cause for delay. (Such as a derailment) Careless staffing procedures and excessive train length is not such a cause for delay. These are practices that have been taken on to increase profits and decrease overhead by the railroad. But the cost is emergency vehicle response time through McDonough. Delay in commutes for drivers. Unnecessary fuel use and wear and tear on commuters' vehicles as they wait indefinitely for the train to clear up.
A viable solution for this problem is to demand that Norfolk Southern stop their Southbound trains ahead of the Jonesboro Rd. Crossing and secure the train here where a 2-mile long train does not occupy and block any crossings while they delay. The next expectation is one that the Federal Railroad Administration dictates, which is to cut the train at each crossing so that road traffic may operate unimpeded while the train is standing.
And while railroads are served under Federal Jurisdiction, local law enforcement has the ability to record and issue fines to the railroad for each violation. Local government also has the right to demand the railroad provide a safer alternative to the operation of the railroad, a company that normally prides itself in the commitment to safety for its employees, customers and communities that it serves. The fact that they cut the city of McDonough GA in half to save a couple bucks on crew salaries is inexcusable for the risk to public safety that it causes.

What concerned citizens can do in the meantime is call the Norfolk Southern Crossing Hotline, posted on a Blue sign at each crossing. That number is 1-800-946-4744 and report the crossing blocked. Be sure to refer to the Crossing street name and DOT number listed above. Explain to the operator that the crossing has been blocked by a train that is stopped and has not moved in XX minutes. Call the police (Do not call 9-1-1) and ask them to take note of the delay and move to issue fines to the railroad.

Henry Town Center, thoroughfares are missing stop signs at some of the more important cross roads within the parking lot. While I know it's private property, there should be some way to encourage the property owner to display stop signs at busy intersections.
I almost hit a woman in an SUV who was not aware of the paint on the pavement and did not see a stop sign. She was coming from Jonesboro Rd. on the driveway entrance between the two traffic lights. (See video at: https://youtu.be/Bkw2zKRnv8k) She admitted that she was not from around this area and did not see any stop signs.

Pothole in Right Turn Lane from E. Atlanta Rd to Valley Hill Rd.

The sign post is lying beside the road with signs still attached. Sign is not visible to vehicle traffic.

At the intersection of Jodeco Rd and Peach Dr. In McDonough, the intersection is closed to Peach Dr. while road construction continues for the widening of Jodeco Rd. But the traffic light is still cycling and stopping traffic unnecessarily for traffic on Jodeco. The traffic congestion in this area is already burdened by the construction issues. Do we need to slow it down even more with a red light for nothing?

At the intersection of Fairview and Panola, the crosswalk signal on the island closest to the Burger King is down after apparently being struck by a vehicle. Lights still seem to be operating so there are live exposed wires at this crosswalk island.

Two mowers working between Swan Lake Rd and Patillo Rd on Gardner, leaving dangerous debris in the roadway as a result. Spoke to Foreman Bateman whose only response was that the debris has not caused a safety issue in 22 years he's been working here and that the traffic will blow it off the roadway. When I asked about the large chunk of debris he tossed into my neighbor's yard, he explained that he only has two people working with him.
I explained to him that there's even more debris in the roadway near Swan Lake and they have not even finished cutting the Eastbound lane yet.
What do we need to do to keep dangerous debris from being left in the roadway after they come through?
What about having litter picked up before they mow?

Photos attached are just an example of the debris near my residence and does not encompass the entire debris field between Patillo and Swan Lake roads.

Drivers travelling North on Gardner road do not have adequate warning to the school bus that stops just south of the intersection of Gardner road and Patillo road due to the curve, grade and brush along the curve. Two buses stop at this location twice a day.
It would be prudent to the safety of the children boarding and disembarking the bus, as well as the other drivers if there were adequate warning for Northbound traffic at least.

Paint and Waste Buckets, debris on right-of-way beside the road.