Augusta Area transportation projects (ferry, budget, activities)

[Airforceguy]

The City of Augusta will put the final vote on Tuesday for new technology starting at Fury's Ferry Road, heading down Riverwatch Parkway.

David Camppier heads down Riverwatch Parkway a few times a week. He says it can get pretty crowded out there.

"Absolutely, between the hours of one and three it's crazy out here," Camppier said.

It's something Augusta's Traffic and Engineering Department is working on. One of the ways is by putting in whats called INSync Adaptive Signal Control.

"The INSync system adjusts the timing based on the time of day, the amount of traffic that passes through an intersection at any given time, it keeps track of all of the cars that pass through the intersection," Ron Lamkin with Augusta's Traffic and Engineering Department said.

It's already out on Washington Road. The idea is these cameras keep an eye on traffic to make sure everything is flowing smoothly. Crews are currently putting in the system on Walton Way from Bransford Road to Druid Park. You can also find them on part of Wrightsboro Road and Gordon Highway. They want to add even more.

City to install new traffic light technology on Riverwatch to make drive smoother

[GRU_Minion]

"... between the hours of one and three"?! More like the hours of 4 and 6pm. Not sure what road this guy's been driving down...

[Airforceguy]

According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, crews reduced the amount of lanes between Claussen Road and Alexander Drive as part of the $5.3 million project aimed at improved travel in the area of the Interstate 20 interchange. The closures, which affect both directions of travel, will be in effect 24 hours a day until Nov. 11.
A news release from the department stresses that the closures will “cause additional back up and congestion at peak rush hour times.” The closures will allow contractors to remove existing guardrail, install a new storm drain system and configure new median islands with concrete curb and gutter.
The project consists of improvements to River Watch between Quarry Road and River Shoals Parkway, including milling and overlaying the corridor, widening to develop a second turn lane onto the interstate’s eastbound ramp and widening at the westbound ramp to allow for dual right turns.

River Watch construction to cause delays through next week | The Augusta Chronicle

[Airforceguy]

The road is split into two separate projects, one of which might be completed as early as April. According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, the project remains on schedule.

The first project, estimated at $27.7 million, covers the area of Windsor Spring from Willis Foreman to Tobacco roads and includes widening the two-lane road to four lanes with a raised center median. Multi-use trails will also be constructed on both sides of the road. The project also includes construction of a bridge and approaches over Spirit Creek.

According to DOT spokesman Kyle Collins, crews are almost finished with the first stage of bridgework over the creek. Later this month, the contractor plans to shift traffic onto the temporary widening from Boykin Road to Anthony DeJuan Parkway. In December, another traffic shift will move to the new construction from Willis Foreman Road to just south of Turkey Trail Drive.

The second project, which is estimated at $21.2 million and covers Windsor Spring Road from Willis Foreman Road to Highway 88, is more than 3½ years from completion.

Windsor Spring widening projects making headway | The Augusta Chronicle

[Airforceguy]

With more than 1,900 employees at Bridgestone and another 800 students at Byrd Elementary, Edwards says it's a headache trying to manage it.

"Oh it's very hectic, drop my little girl off she's at first grade at Byrd and I got to get to work by 8 O'clock, so I got to tell my boss can I get there by 8:30 because traffic is so backed up," she said.

She's not alone with thousands hitting the road every day and parts of the road only two lanes wide, SCDOT is meeting to discuss widening the road.

Lacey Zorn lives in Sage Creek, a newer development next to Byrd Elementary and the new Leavelle McCampbell site.

"This area is really populating, so all of these people trying to get to the interstate to go back either direction there, it just backs up really bad," Zorn said.


The thought is to add more turn lanes at the Ascauga Lake intersection.

"The flow would be a whole lot easier, maybe it would be less congested in the morning times," Edwards said.

But others like Zorn think the widening needs to go further to where the schools and Sage Creek are.

"Widening the road further down would be more beneficial, especially with as much growth this neighborhood itself is having and with the new schools coming in," Zorn said.

The school district is also currently looking into adding a stop light at the Bettis Academy Road and Weldon Way intersection where the two schools sit.

SCDOT looking at road work along Bettis Academy Road

[Airforceguy]

I'm glad to see that this project is ahead of schedule...

"We're making time, so they're trying to get it done and get in and get out," said Ron Lampkin, Management Specialist at Augusta Traffic & Engineering.

The 2 million dollar project is about halfways done.

"We drained the canal to do the under deck work, so all the work underneath has been done," said Lampkin.

Work that started on the bottom continues on the top.

"Right now, we're on the top of the bridge. We're doing the deck work," said Lampkin.

Crews poured half of the concrete a few weeks ago. They're starting now on electrical work which includes adding more lights, but there was something else with this project.

"Leaving it like it is is very important because that's how that came about," said Lampkin.


"It's a very special landmark in Augusta," said Erick Montgomery, Executive Director of Historic Augusta.

A picture of history. The bridge was originally completed in 1914.

"It's a very pleasing landmark that everybody knows, and everybody remembers," said Montgomery.

Remembered as the first memorial for The Titanic. It's the only one standing in the state of Georgia dedicated to the disaster.

"The historical value of the bridge. You don't want to change anything, so what we'll be doing is we're restoring everything that's there," said Lampkin.

Like replacing the worn-out paint and broken lights which is one of the reasons this projects takes longer to finish.

"It'll continue to be used. It'll continue to look like it has since 1914," said Montgomery.

And hopefully more years to come.

Construction on Butt Memorial Bridge meets historic preservation

[Airforceguy]

One of the busiest corridors in the county will be getting some much needed improvements come 2017. County engineers say they're making the flow of traffic easier at the intersection of Chamblin Road and William Few Parkway, as well as on Lewiston and Horizon South Parkway coming off the interstate.

Infrastructure improvements take time, but these fixes should come in the next year. But it's not only commuters who experience the stop, go - stop, go intersection.

"You know it's frustrating," said Brian Weeks, the co-owner of ATC AutoCenter, "It's frustrating for us as a business for automotive repair, because we have to test drive vehicles."

The business set up shop just over a year ago. Luckily, things are busy this time of year, with people servicing their cars before Christmas travel.

When it comes to William Few, instead of red and green bulbs, they'd rather see red and green lights.

"We don't want a road changed just for us," said Weeks, "But [with test driving], we're experiencing the traffic that people are experiencing in their daily commute."


"There's no traffic flow. Right now, it's a safety function, it's not flowing traffic," said Steve Cassell, the Engineering Services Director for Columbia County.

In 2017, that will change. No more stop signs, instead - stop lights, and turn lanes. Those are set to be complete around the fall of next year.

"We met with GDOT back in November and they committed about 200 thousand dollars worth of funding towards that project because of the importance of the regional mobility of it," said Cassell.

William Few, I-20 corridor getting some much needed changes in 2017

[Airforceguy]

I had a feeling collections would be down for the TSPLOST, however I believe that if officials pursue another TSPLOST, which I believe they will, it will make up for the potential gaps in funding that the Band 3 projects will face.

Collections of the transportation tax through October for the CSRA area were $245 million, 15.6 percent behind projected collections of $290 million. The worst-performing area, the Heart of Georgia district around Vidalia, was 20 percent below projected amounts

Engineers have a plan, however, and continue to complete projects at their 2011 budgets, limit pricey contingencies where risk allows it and look for ways to save, Mullins said. They’re also encouraging local governments to actively pursue additional funding sources, he said.

Panel member and Augusta businessman James Kendrick asked Augusta Engineering Director Abie Ladson if other funding sources had been identified. Ladson suggested the next TIA or next local option sales tax, or possibly Augusta’s stormwater utility fee if the project involved drainage infrastructure.

Kendrick suggested later if collections remain down, the city will have to consider “what parts of this can we afford,” in large projects such as the streetscape work. Overall, the tight TIA schedule has seen dozens of Band 1 and Band 2 TIA projects set in motion, including many of the 35 being managed by city of Augusta engineers.

Ladson said the second phase of the Berckmans Road realignment was nearing the end of right-of-way acquisition while the John C. Calhoun Expressway resurfacing and lighting project is nearly 50 percent complete. The new lights are the same style as the TIA-funded Riverwatch Parkway lights and “people are going to notice them,” Ladson said.

Restoration of the Butt Memorial Bridge is set for completion in June or July but the bridge will open for traffic before Masters Week, officials said.

Columbia County Engineering Director Steve Cassell provided updates on major TIA projects there, including Lewiston, Furys Ferry and Flowing Wells roads. The large TIA-funded extension of Old Petersburg Road, also known as the Riverwatch Parkway extension, is about $20 million into its $40 million budget and “we don’t expect it to be completed” by its scheduled April completion date, said region TIA director Eric Wilkerson.

Transportation sales tax collections remain down | The Augusta Chronicle

[Airforceguy]

Looking through the GDOT files, I found the concept report for the improvements to the I-20/US 221/SR 47 Interchange. GDOT will replace the existing bridge with a wider one that will support a future 4-lane expansion of US 221. The reasoning behind wanting the bridge this wide is because the county sees US 221 as the future SR 388 of Western Columbia County. Roundabouts will also be placed at the intersections of the I-20/US 221/SR 47 exit/entrance ramps. Lighting will also be placed at the roundabouts. According to the concept report the project will be let in June 2018.

I-20/U.S. 221/SR 47 Interchange Rebuild-Columbia County by brandon walker, on Flickr

Concept report:https://gtas.dot.ga.gov/0011373/Conc...IA_AUG2016.pdf

[Airforceguy]

The Traffic Engineering Division doesn’t have a full traffic control center, but it does have modern technology to keep things running smoothly.

“On a normal schedule, say we run about 30 second timing on a green light, a holiday schedule you’ll have a little bit more cars so we may give you a little more time, say an extra 15 seconds,” Lampkin said.

The most congested areas are Wrightsboro Road and Washington Road.

The part of Wrightsboro near the Augusta Mall can be a mess, but that area does have an adaptive traffic system trying to correct it.

“That can go in and say okay, yesterday at 6 o’clock we had about 300 cars come through here. It’s been that way for the last two days, so it can adjust accordingly,” Lampkin said.

The Traffic Engineering Division will hopefully have a full traffic control center soon as it will be moving into the old AT&T building on Walker Street.

“We want to get to a point where we have it manned 24 hours. In the beginning, we’ll have somewhere in there during rush hour,” Lampkin said.

But for now, if you want to avoid the long lines of cars in Augusta, Ron Lampkin has some shortcuts for you.

“Gordon Highway is always a good, steady flow of traffic. Riverwatch is a better alternative than Washington Road this time of year,” Lampkin said.

The new Augusta traffic control center should be ready by the end of 2017.

Augusta getting full traffic control center next year