ATLANTA — Driver complaints and confusion have prompted the Georgia Department of Transportation to upgrade the variable speed limit signs at Interstate 285.
GDOT says it put in the signs to slow drivers down during emergencies, like an accident, on the congested road. They say the signs are working to improve safety.
“We’ve seen increased traffic in the region, and we haven’t seen an increase in secondary accidents,” GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale said.
Some say the signs could actually cause an accident when the speed limits don’t match.
“I mean it’s bad enough that people like to go across all four lanes without even looking. You’re adding more confusion to the situation,” driver Jack Shroeder said.
Channel 2’s Sophia Choi drove around I-285 checking to see if the signs were working.
She spotted four signs not working properly: One on I-285 North, just past Chamblee Tucker Road, one on I-285 West near Northlake Parkway, and two on I-285 East near the Peachtree Industrial exit.
Issues with the signs started shortly after they went up in October 2014, at a cost of $4 million.
“They need to do something different, especially spending $4 million on that? A little ridiculous actually,” Shroeder said.
GDOT says right now, 18 of the 176 signs, roughly 10 percent, don’t work properly.
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A new firmware fix will allow GDOT to shut down signs that are stuck on the wrong speed. It hopes to have at least 95 percent of the signs working by the end of the month.
“We are working on it with the contractor, with this new firmware upgrade, to make sure we get those last stragglers of signs to work,” Dale said.
The fix has taken more than a year and a half, because it’s a large wireless system.
GDOT says for now, when two signs don’t match, look to the right for the correct one.
“When in doubt, follow the one on the outside shoulder. If it’s blank (or) if it’s dark, the max speed limit is 65,” Dale said.
GDOT says some of the signs are dark on purpose when there is construction.
GDOT says it has no plans to expand the variable speed limit signs in the metro area.