LOWNDES COUNTY, Ga. — If you drive through Five Points or along Jerry Jones Road every day, you know getting across town right now isn't always easy.
Two major construction projects are reshaping Valdosta's roadways, but the progress comes with daily frustrations for commuters navigating detours and congestion.
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:
The Five Points roundabout project is nearly 49% complete and running ahead of schedule, while the Jerry Jones Road widening is 16% finished.
The $16 million Five Points project project is funded by the Georgia Department of Transportation and will convert two major intersections into modern multi-lane roundabouts.
GDOT awarded the contract for the the $36 million Jerry Jones Road widening project in November 2024.
For commuters like Valdosta State University senior James Brown, who drives through both construction zones daily, the progress can feel frustrating in the moment.
"If there was another way, I would never go there," Brown said. "There's a lot of detours, and there's just a lot of construction all around Valdosta. I get they're trying to fix roads, but it's absolutely heinous trying to get from point A to point B."
City and state leaders say the short-term inconvenience is paving the way for long-term safety improvements.
The Five Points project is converting the SR 7 BUS/Ashley St at SR 7 ALT/Patterson St/Smithbriar Dr/Brookfield Rd intersection and the SR 7 BUS/N Valdosta Rd at N Oak St Extension intersections into two modern multi-lane roundabouts. The roundabouts will be 170 feet in diameter and constructed with curb, gutter, and sidewalks across approximately 0.13 miles.
The Jerry Jones project will add a two-way left turn lane on Jerry Jones Drive/Eager Road from West McRee Drive to Jaden Place, according to Mayor Pro Tem Andy Gibbs.
"Uniform mill, inlay and new pavement markings will be installed from Baytree Road to West McRee Drive and from Jaden Place to North Oak Street," Gibbs said. "The proposed typical section will consist of 11-foot through lanes, a 12-foot two-way left turn lane, 30-inch curb and gutter, a 2-foot grass strip and 5-foot sidewalks at all locations along the corridor where none currently exists."
Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurray says the upgrades go beyond traffic flow.
"We're going to be building sidewalk, and so we'll be able to provide pedestrian access to all the residential community to get out for a stroll to ride their bike and just enjoy to be able to you know have other options beside the car," McMurray said.
For now, neighbors must take alternate routes along Ashley and Patterson Streets for Five Points, as well as the already congested Baytree Road for Jerry Jones commuters. But these changes will make travel along these roads much safer and easier once complete.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.
