THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WTXL) — You've probably been seeing construction on your way to school or work here on Smith Avenue… and wondering what it's for and when it'll finally be over.
- Project first discussed in 2017; construction now six months in and halfway complete
- Roundabout, stormwater work, and most utilities are finished, with sidewalks and lighting underway as the full two-mile corridor moves toward a summer 2026 reopening.
- Watch the video below to see why the project is so critical for safety.
Thomasville’s Remington construction hits halfway mark
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I'm giving you a six-month update on the Remington Avenue project: what's finished, what's behind schedule, and what major changes are coming next.
This project has been in discussion since 2017, when neighbors and the city agreed Remington needed major safety upgrades.
People were worried about speeding sometimes 60 miles an hour on a 35-mile per hour road plus frequent crashes, flooding, and no sidewalks for kids walking near Thomasville High and Remington Park.
About six months ago, I showed you what was coming: a new roundabout at Kern, Reid, and Remington… narrower lanes… new sidewalks… and a raised concrete divider near East Pinetree to reduce dangerous turns.
Project manager Jimmie Montgomery tells me part of the reason this stayed in the planning phase for so long is because the first bid was too expensive forcing the city to cut the project down to the core safety needs.
"So we had a lot of decisions to make when the we originally bid it out. It come in at twenty two million dollars and the city just can't foot that bill. It's just not possible. So what we had to make a lot of decisions of what what we really needed and what was not needed," said Montgomery.
But now the project has been in the works for about six months, and crews have already finished stormwater drainage and most underground utility work.
The roundabout is taking shape, sidewalks and curb work are moving down Kern Street, and the city says new pedestrian lighting will go up around the intersection in the next few weeks.
What's left? Completing the water line work toward Pine Tree Boulevard, finishing sidewalks on both sides of Kern, and milling and resurfacing the full two-mile corridor.
Once it's done, this stretch which carries about 10,000 cars a day should be slower, safer, and easier for families and students to walk across.
As for the entire project, Montgomery tells me it's on track to wrap up by summer 2026.
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