Augusta Area transportation projects (Augusta-Richmond County, Milledgeville: high school, renewal, rail)

[Airforceguy]

The Windsor Spring Road widening project to Hephzibah has started...

As you head into Hephzibah, past all the orange barrels, you might notice Charles Mccanns' specially built fence, but it's being knocked down, and in the future it will be gone.

"That is the biggest thing I really don't like about it," Mccann said.

In it's place, two new lanes, that will cut into his front yard and force his trees to be cut down.

"The trees have taken a long time to grow and when I came here on my property there wasn't any trees," Mccann said.

"it was very, very quiet and everyone was very neighborly, we pretty much know each other, now it's kinda growing with leaps and bounds," Mccann said.

Charles remembers when the road was dirt. Now, new construction will widen the road to four lanes from Tobacco Road for five miles all the way into Hephzibah.

"When there is something at Diamond Lakes it ties up the traffic both ways for long periods of time when they have some kind of affair," Mccann said.


Engineers hope to reduce congestion by adding left and right turn lanes at major intersections, and put a 19 foot median in the middle to only allow turning at certain areas, cutting down on crashes.

"We have more schools then we had before and the traffic is extremely bad for a two lane road," Mccann said.

Charles won't be able to turn directly into his driveway, but will have to drive down a block and turn around. He isn't complaining because he thinks the overall project could bring housing and development to the area.

"I think it's a shame that businesses have not really realized that the money on south side is just as good as money on the other side," Mccann said.

The project that will be partially funded with TIA money, will include a trail near the road for bikers and walkers, an addition city leaders want to become the standard for new road projects across the county.

The project will be completed in phases, the whole five miles of project is expected to be completed in two to three years.

Windsor Spring Road project could bring development to South Augusta

[Airforceguy]

Work will begin on July 18 on the Butt Memorial Bridge and Broad Street Bridge...

According to an Augusta Canal Authority news release, the draining will begin July 5 and will take several days. The canal is expected to remain drained for about three months.
Work on the Butt Memorial Bridge at 15th Street and the Broad Street bridge near King Mill will begin July 18 and will consist of the replacement of the underside decking and other restoration.
The bulkhead gates across from the canal near Lake Olmstead will be closed to allow water to drain through trailraces at Sibley, King and Enterprise mills and through other drainage structures, including the gates at 13th Street.
The drainage will have an impact on other canal activities, including the Petersburg boat tours and the hydroelectric power stations it operates at the mills.
“It is regrettable that the city must drain the water during the summer’s peak power demand and outdoor recreation period,” said Dayton Sherrouse, the executive director of the canal authority, in the release, “but these bridge maintenance projects are essential. We are doing our best to minimize the impact on the public.”
Water will remain in the upper five miles of the canal above the Olmstead bulkhead, allowing for the Petersburg boat tour to travel up the canal and dock at Savannah Rapids Park for the summer. During the affected period, tours will be offered several times daily Tuesday through Sunday, starting July 6.
The public is advised to stay out of the canal bed during the drawdown to avoid being trapped in thick mud.
Officials will use the time to study wildlife, including aquatic plants and animals, during and after the drawdown.

Draining of Augusta Canal to allow bridge repairs | The Augusta Chronicle

[Airforceguy]

Roadwork at the Riverwatch Pkwy/I-20 interchange will begin 5 July...
Riverwatch Parkway at I-20 interchange improvement project begins July 5

[GRU_Minion]

Originally Posted by Airforceguy

Roadwork at the Riverwatch Pkwy/I-20 interchange will begin 5 July...
Riverwatch Parkway at I-20 interchange improvement project begins July 5

Really don't understand this. It hasn't even been 10 years since that whole thing was completely overhauled, maybe even less than that. I understand it might be needed, but my issue is why wasn't it done when it was overhauled to start with?

[amlovingit]

They need to make Riverwatch a toll road

[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by amlovingit

They need to make Riverwatch a toll road

That is improbable. River Watch Parkway would need to be upgraded from a boulevard to a controlled access highway with grade separated interchanges.

[amlovingit]

Originally Posted by Carolina Knight

That is improbable. River Watch Parkway would need to be upgraded from a boulevard to a controlled access highway with grade separated interchanges.

It could be done.

[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by amlovingit

It could be done.

How would you improve River Watch Parkway to a fully controlled access highway?

[amlovingit]

Originally Posted by Carolina Knight

How would you improve River Watch Parkway to a fully controlled access highway?

I don't know right now but it could be done

[cst8670]

Originally Posted by Carolina Knight

How would you improve River Watch Parkway to a fully controlled access highway?

Wouldnt that mean that they would have to either buy every single business and house along River Watch and or provide them an alternate means of egress from their property that does not cause them to have to enter the toll road as well as they would have to build multiple bridges and or overpasses for the varies roads that currently intersect River Watch so as to bypass it?