The City of Rome’s Public Works, Traffic, Transit & Trails Committee met Wednesday morning to review a wide range of infrastructure updates, safety data, and monthly departmental reports covering April 2026.
Committee Reviews Road, Drainage, and Infrastructure Concerns
Public Works staff briefed commissioners on several ongoing issues, including:
- Chulio Road updates
- A storm drainage problem in Summerville Park
- A proposed chain‑link fence installation along Turner McCall Boulevard
- Preparations for the PRIDE Parade scheduled for June 27
These items will move forward for additional review or action as needed.
Traffic Commission: Accidents Down, Injuries Up in April
The Rome Police Department submitted its April 2026 Accident and DUI Report, showing a mix of improvements and areas of concern.
Accidents decreased overall, with 179 crashes reported in April 2026 compared to 200 in April 2025.
However, injuries rose sharply, increasing from 53 last April to 72 this year.
Other key findings from the report include:
- DUI arrests: 13 (down from 15)
- DUI‑related accidents: 2 (down from 6)
- Fatalities: 0 (compared to 1 last year)
- Total traffic cases: 606 (down from 658)
Primary Causes of Accidents
The leading causes of April crashes were:
- Following too closely — 53 incidents
- Failure to yield — 37 incidents
- Improper lane change — 26 incidents
- Distracted driving — 6 incidents
- Driving under the influence — 2 incidents
High‑Incident Intersections
Six intersections recorded three or more accidents in April, including:
- Shorter Ave / Burnett Ferry Rd — 3 accidents
- Redmond Circle / Technology Parkway — 3 accidents
- Turner McCall Blvd / Broad Street — 3 accidents
- Turner McCall Blvd / Martha Berry Hwy — 3 accidents
Peak Accident Times
The highest‑risk periods were:
- Mid‑afternoon (2:00–3:59 PM) — 41 accidents
- Lunch hours (11:00 AM–1:59 PM) — 38 accidents
- Evening commute (4:00–6:59 PM) — 39 accidents
Cemetery, Engineering, and Street Departments Provide April Updates
Cemetery Department
The Cemetery Department reported:
- 12 interments in April
- 99% monthly attendance rate
- $13,755 in revenue, down from $31,568 in April 2025
- 15 positions filled, one fewer than last year
Engineering Department
The Engineering Department logged:
- 735.5 total man‑hours worked
- 28 hours lost to sick time (down from 114 last April)
- 84.5 hours of vacation time
- Slight decreases in both office and field hours compared to 2025
Street Department
The Street Department reported extensive activity across the city, including:
- 7,186.75 regular hours worked
- 250 storm grates maintained
- 789 litter bags filled
- 611 traffic signs repaired or installed
- 297.5 hours dedicated to litter cleanup
- 348.5 hours of ditch maintenance
- 128.3 hours of street sweeping
Crews also handled graffiti removal, homeless camp cleanups, landscaping, pipe jetting, and maintenance across multiple corridors.
