Team proposes road projects

Consultants working on a survey of Columbia County transportation needs have come up with a list of 32 roads that could be widened or built to ease traffic congestion.

TEI Engineers & Planners of Duluth, Ga., developed the recommendations based on meetings with public and county officials.

Some of the short-range options, loosely scheduled to for the next couple of years, include building a connector between William Few Parkway and Hereford Farm Road so drivers have a bypass around the busiest sections of Washington Road in Evans.

"We're going to recommend trying to expand the road to address deficiencies," said Doug Allen, TEI's project manager and Georgia area manager.

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Many of the recommendations involve widening roads that are expected to become congested as the county's population grows.

Allen said that the list of recommendations now will be studied to see how feasible the projects are. The group will look at the amount of right-of-way land available, costs and environmental impacts.

He said he expects to present a prioritized list early next year to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners.

The findings will be part of Columbia County's first countywide look at long-term traffic patterns.

The study also will look at improvements that do not include widening, such as intersection and safety upgrades.

"We don't want to have to widen every road," Allen said.

Those wanting to submit comments about the preliminary recommendations can send them to TEI's office at: TEI Engineers and Planners, Attention: Douglas Allen, AICP, 3675 Crestwood Parkway, Suite 505, Duluth, GA 30096. Comments also can be e-mailed to dallen@tei-us.com or faxed to (770) 279-9297.

Here is a preliminary list of projects being recommended by a consulting firm working on the county's long-term transportation plan. The list will be pared down but are recommended to take place during the next couple of years.

Road From To Recommendation

Columbia Old Belair Belair widen from two to four lanes

Flowing Wells Interstate 20 Washington widen from two to four lanes

Furys Ferry Hardy McManus Evans-to-Locks widen from two to four lanes

Gibbs-Cox-Owens Washington Washington widen from two to four lanes

Hereford Farm Belair Gibbs widen from two to four lanes

Horizon South Interstate 20 Wrightsboro widen from two to four lanes

Interstate 20 off-ramps At Belair, Lewiston and Appling-Harlem widen from one to two lanes

Interstate 20 Appling-Harlem Road Belair Road widen from four to six lanes

Lewiston Columbia Interstate 20 widen from two to four lanes

North Belair Furys Ferry Washington widen from two to four lanes

Old Evans Washington Old Petersburg widen from two to four lanes

Old Evans Martinez Washington widen from two to four lanes

Washington William Few Belair widen from two to four lanes

William Few William Few Hereford Farm create two-lane connector

William Few Washington Hardy McManus create two-lane extension

Wrightsboro Reynolds County Boundary widen from two to four lanes

SR 47 (south) Mile post 2.45 Mile post 3.88 widen from two to three lanes