- The project includes a roundabout at Liberty Street and Constitution Avenue, 6,300 linear feet of sidewalks, and road resurfacing.
- Construction begins October 15 and is expected to take approximately 300 days with no road closures.
- Watch the video to see how these changes could affect local businesses in Thomas county.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
With more than five new apartment buildings and multiple businesses, including hotels and restaurants popping up around Colonial Square, the area is busier than ever.
The county is now working to manage traffic and make it safer and more walkable.
"Once they started building those apartments in there, we've got all the residents of Grand Park there. It's just really become a priority for the county to make sure that they are safe as they walk around," said Public Works Director Jay Knight.
Knight says the county wanted to manage the increasing traffic in the area through two main improvements.
"So the project consists of a roundabout and around 6,300 linear feet of sidewalks on both sides of the roads," said Knight.
The project is funded through $1.5 million from SPLOST, meaning neighbors' sales tax dollars are being put to work and improving local roads.
It covers major streets in Colonial Square: Liberty Street, Constitution Avenue, Williamsburg Avenue, and Independence Street.
The new roundabout will be built near Fratelli's Pizza, helping traffic flow while the roads themselves are resurfaced and fixed from top to bottom.
"I actually lived up in Indiana for a year, and where I lived was the roundabout capital of America. There are like 200 roundabouts there. They've replaced every red light with a roundabout. And I don't think it needs to be every red light, but definitely more roundabouts around town, because it does manage traffic a lot better. And instead of everybody sitting at a red light, everybody is having turns going," said Destiny Murphy, employee at Fratelli's Pizza.
According to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, roundabouts reduce injury crashes by 72–80% and can reduce fatal crashes by up to 90% compared with traditional signalized intersections.
But this project isn't just about safety.
Murphy says it could also encourage more people to visit the area, support local businesses, and continue growing Colonial Square.
"I know it would probably bring a lot more business back here to Fratelli's and to Best Western and all these other little businesses back here, having the roads more opened up and, again, crosswalks so people can easily walk here," said Murphy.
The project starts October 15 and is expected to take about 300 days.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.
