FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13, 2026
Changing Traffic Patterns Along SR 74 at Brechin Drive
Fayette County, GA - Over the next few weeks, the intersection of Brechin Drive and State Route 74 will change. It is now a T-intersection with a stop sign on the side street. It will become a Reduced Conflict U-Turn, or RCUT, intersection.
The change is tied to the Pediatric Wellness Pavilion, which is under construction. Its driveway will be directly across from Brechin Drive.
Drivers leaving Brechin Drive or the medical center will have to turn right onto SR 74. To go left, they will make a U-turn at the next intersection.
Drivers on SR 74 can turn into Brechin Drive or the medical center from either direction. They will use right-turn deceleration lanes or new left-turn lanes.
The Georgia Department of Transportation, or GDOT, is using RCUT intersections more often in Fayette County and across the state. They have several benefits such as fewer serious crashes, better traffic flow on SR 74, shorter waits during busy times, and less need for traffic signals.
Some drivers may not like making U-turns. But data from the Federal Highway Administration show a 54% drop in deadly and injury crashes when a two-way stop intersection becomes an RCUT. The design removes direct crossings and cuts down on left-turn conflicts. This fits the county’s goal of reducing deaths and serious injuries on its roads.
A traffic study for this spot also found much shorter waits for drivers leaving Brechin Drive and heading north to Peachtree City. Without an RCUT, the study found that this turn would fail to meet traffic Level of Service (LOS) standards in the future.
SR 74 is a state road, so GDOT made the final decision. It based its choice on an outside traffic study, input from Fayette County and confirmation from the Board of Education. The board said school buses already do not turn left from Brechin Park.
The county also heard concerns about speeding on SR 74, growing traffic, and U-turns at Lodge Trail. The RCUT will not change speeds or traffic volume on SR 74. GDOT has promised to monitor the road and nearby intersections. It will decide later if more steps are needed.
The traffic study found that all vehicles that commonly leave Brechin Drive can make the U-turn without hitting curbs. That includes cars, pickups with trailers, and delivery vehicles.
Please contact Fayette County Public Works at 770-320-6010 or publicworks@fayettecountyga.gov for questions.