Traffic cone

VALDOSTA — The City of Valdosta asked drivers to avoid Woodrow Wilson Drive midday Monday in response to traffic near South Georgia Medical Center.

SGMC has been holding its drive-thru COVID-19 testing 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, resulting in a filled parking lot and, in Monday’s case, a line leading up Woodrow Wilson Drive to CVS Pharmacy.

Traffic like this has led to days with the highest amounts of COVID-19 tests taken at the hospital since June 1, hospital officials said. Most recently, the highest amount of tests taken was 889 reported on Aug. 12.

Johnny Ball, SGMC vice president of marketing and public affairs, said the hospital is leaving traffic control to the city.

City Manager Mark Barber said the city doesn’t want to keep anybody from getting a test but the traffic needs to be curbed.

“(We’ll) maybe try to send (traffic) to the back parking lot through Mathis, but we’ve got to be careful we don’t block the emergency entrance ways to the hospital,” Barber said.