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A West Point resident asked the city council to reduce the speed limit on Highway 18 during its meeting on Tuesday.

Samantha Knowles, a teacher, said she lives on Highway 18 just within the city limits of West Point. She complimented the West Point Police and Fire Department for their quick response to calls; however, she said the road is dangerousm and she has had many near misses with semi-trucks recently.

“It’s quite dangerous,” she said during the meeting.

Knowles said she also called the Georgia Department of Transportation, which is in charge of the construction work happening at exit 2 in West Point where roundabouts are being added to accommodate for traffic.

The construction work and the recent opening of the Love’s Truck Stop off Interstate 85 have both added to the traffic issue off exit 2.

City Manager Ed Moon told the VTN the city is aware of Knowles’s concerns and are taking them seriously.

“We’re doing everything that we can in that area to make travel as safe as we possibly can,” Moon said.

However, her property is at the edge of the city limits where the speed zone changes. The current speed limit upon entering the city limits is 45 miles per hour. Then it drops to 35 miles. The county road speed limit becomes 55 outside of city limits. Moon said it is unlikely the city could reduce the speed limit lower than 45 miles per hour.