AU Medical Center one step closer to building Columbia County hospital (Evans: 2014, construction)

[Airforceguy]

It's about time this issue was resolved. Considering all of the growth is heading west towards Grovetown and Harlem, Columbia County needs a hospital.

After more than three years of appeals, a Georgia court has ruled in favor of AU Medical Center being able to build the first hospital in Columbia County, the state’s largest county without one.

According to a decision handed down Wednesday, the Superior Court of Fulton County ruled against Doctors Hospital of Augusta, which was challenging the county financing mechanism used to grant a state license to AUMC by the Georgia Department of Community Health. Because there are so many hospital beds in neighboring Richmond County, a facility in Columbia would not normally meet the standard for need so AUMC’s application used a rare exception that allows for the hospital to be built if it is the only one in the county and the country itself pays at least 20 percent of the cost, which Columbia County will do.

“The department’s county-financed exception is valid, the department’s decision is reasonable and consistent with prior decisions of the department,” Judge Henry M. Newkirk wrote.

AUMC was granted the Certificate of Need to build the 100-bed facility for around $150 million in November 2014 from among competing proposals from Doctors and University Hospital. Both appealed the decision and lost but Doctors has pursued nearly every appeal avenue since, including challenging the county-financing exception that was part of its own proposal.

“We are thrilled,” AUMC CEO Lee Ann Liska said Wednesday evening. “We are very excited to bring a hospital to Columbia County.”

AU Medical Center one step closer to building Columbia County hospital - News - The Augusta Chronicle - Augusta, GA

[cst8670]

To be honest I still think its a mistake to build it in Grovetown as its not that much further to go to get to Doctors in an emergency in that part of Columbia county.
Instead they should be looking more towards Riverwood or Evans so as to cut down on the time it takes for people and ambulances to get to the hospital for the whole county.

[AUGnative]

Originally Posted by cst8670

To be honest I still think its a mistake to build it in Grovetown as its not that much further to go to get to Doctors in an emergency in that part of Columbia county.
Instead they should be looking more towards Riverwood or Evans so as to cut down on the time it takes for people and ambulances to get to the hospital for the whole county.

I would tend to agree with this assessment. The county is going to need a 4 lane divided pky similar to Riverwatch connecting Washington Rd around the riverwood area to I20 at the Grovetown exit.
That would help a lt with traffic flow and make it easier for ppl to get to he hospital.

[Airforceguy]

Doesn't University Hospital already have a micro hospital in Evans? Also as far as a new 4 lane parkway connecting Evans and Grovetown, I believe that the widening of Lewiston and Hereford Farm Roads over the next decade would solve that problem.

[cst8670]

Originally Posted by Airforceguy

Doesn't University Hospital already have a micro hospital in Evans? Also as far as a new 4 lane parkway connecting Evans and Grovetown, I believe that the widening of Lewiston and Hereford Farm Roads over the next decade would solve that problem.

No, it's more along the line of offices for patient examinations with a prompt care service which is not anywhere as prepared to handle an emergency like a hospital emergency room is.

[Bravesblock]

Based on: https://www.google.com/amp/www.augus...emplate=ampart

The 90 days has passed so I would expect an announcement from AU about beginning construction soon. And I hope that once it is official that soon thereafter The Family Y will begin sharing their plans for a full scale facility (on property near the planned hospital location which they already own) rivaling or possibly exceeding their Wheeler Road location.

[AUGnative]

This needs to happen now but the county is way behind in upgrading road infrastructure in that area. I would like to see a frontage road connecting Horizon South to Belair. A hospital will need better access especially if it has a trauma center

[Airforceguy]

Originally Posted by AUGnative

This needs to happen now but the county is way behind in upgrading road infrastructure in that area. I would like to see a frontage road connecting Horizon South to Belair. A hospital will need better access especially if it has a trauma center

It's funny that you mention having frontage roads along I-20. I believe that in Columbia County's Vision 2035 Plan, it calls for building frontage roads along I-20 between Lewiston Road (Horizon South) and Belair. I think adding this project in any future T-SPLOST would be wise. Also I would like to see a frontage system between Appling-Harlem Road and Belair Road.

[AUGnative]

Texas is a great example to see how frontage roads work well and manage traffic

[imacrazyalbino]

I doubt frontage roads will ever happen here, I’ve attached the latest plan for the Gateway Boulevard Extension.