Resident tells Coffee County commissioners heavy trucks, speeding make Ragsdale Road unsafe

John Magarelli, who identified himself as a resident of 3353 Ragsdale Road, told the Coffee County Highway Commission at its June meeting that repeated speeding and large commercial vehicles near his home have made it unsafe to retrieve mail or sit on his front porch.

"We are fearful that another fatal accident possibly involving ourselves may occur," Magarelli said, describing several fatal crashes he was told had occurred near his property and repeated damage to mailboxes.

Magarelli said tandem dump trucks and semi-trucks often pass his house, drivers sometimes cross the double yellow line near a crest just east of his driveway, and the 45 mph limit is frequently exceeded. He asked the commission to investigate and suggested a speed check, increased sheriff's patrols, installation of guard rails, hidden-driveway signs and flashing lights.

County officials acknowledged the complaint and told Magarelli they had passed his concerns to the sheriff's office and that highway staff would observe the area when working nearby. Staff and commissioners cautioned they have limited authority over which routes commercial vehicles choose, but said additional patrols and a staff review of signage and roadside conditions could occur in the days and weeks following the meeting.

The commission did not take formal action at the meeting to install new traffic-control devices; instead, staff said they would follow up with law-enforcement partners and highway crews to determine whether a targeted safety survey, temporary enforcement, or signage changes were warranted. The meeting record shows the county has previously pursued state safety surveys and state grant funding for road safety projects; officials said past work on other roads was paid through state grants and did not cost the county directly.

The commission moved on to other agenda items after the public comment period; there was no vote or formal directive taken at that time specific to Ragsdale Road.