Public Project Construction Update – April, 2024

Alton Tucker Blvd Extension.  This project’s objective is to improve the intersection of Level Creek Rd and West Broad Street, as well as extending Alton Tucker to Highway 20 at the east end of the E Center property. The alignment, concrete, landscaping work for this project are complete. Brick paver installation is 90% complete. The signal at Highway 20 has the strain poles and span wire installed. They will install the electric wires necessary for the signals and controls. After this work, they will repair the manholes and paving in that intersection as well as doing the final paving of Alton Tucker and West Broad.  Final utility relocation should be completed next week followed by paving, striping and signal activation.  Look for this project to be completed in the second quarter of 2024.

Street Paving and Repair. Garrett Paving has been awarded the construction contract for the 2024 LMIG street paving program.      We recently applied for and received a grant for a portion of the funds required to complete this project through the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) program administered by GDOT. A second round of LMIG funds was made available from which we were able to obtain additional funding to add six more streets. SPLOST receipts will fund about half of this roadwork as well.

Garrett paving has been working with our Public Works staff to identify needed repairs to these streets and has also begun crack sealing. Pavement work will begin soon. Anticipated completion for this project is the third quarter of 2024.

These are the streets that will be repaved on this project:

Added Streets from supplemental state funding:

Highway 20 Pedestrian Bridge. Bridge design is at the 80% point. The general layout, size and construction materials have been selected. The permitting process has begun by GDOT with their review of the bridge foundation investigation (BFI).  Once the plans are formally in review by GDOT and approaching a conclusion, we can advertise for a construction partner. Anticipated completion date is early 2025.

Downtown Greenway/LCI Project. This project is funded by a grant from the Federal Highway Administration, so the process is a little different. The first step is to use a qualifications-based selection process (RFQ) to select from pre-qualified design firms, a professional engineering design firm to develop plans for the improvements. We are receiving these responses now and will begin the process of evaluating them next week. The project will provide an urban trail/path connection from  PIB/20 to Alton Tucker and then back to Highway 20. The timeline for construction will be determined once we have the design finished.

Whitehead Road Sidewalks. This project is in the beginning stages of design and Right of Way (ROW) acquisition. Once those items are completed, we will advertise for a construction partner. We anticipate a 2024 completion date.

Northside Greenway. As part of their developments, The Conclave (Novare) at Sugar Hill, The Refinery by Prestwick and Hillcrest Landing are constructing segments of the Greenway to the North of Hwy 20 and along Hillcrest Dr. This will consist of a winding segment from Stanley St. through their developments and connecting to the sidewalk on Hillcrest Dr. at Brookdale Dr. Staff recently explored an area north of this to determine the feasibility of winding the trail through the woods to Richland Creek. This looks promising and design work is underway.  The Novare/Prestwick development team is building a bridge over a small creek between the developments for the trail. This portion of the project should be completed by the end of 2024.

First Ave. Street Lighting. This project will install six poles and seven lights on the North side of First Ave. from PIB to Chapel Ave/Lanier at the railroad crossing. This project is expected to be completed in May.

Golf Course Cell Tower. The tower has been erected and antennae have been hung. Work is proceeding on final wiring and site clean up. The tower should be active by mid May.

Gary Pirkle Park Streambank Restoration. The EPD permit has been approved and the USACE permit is in the final stages of approval. We have advertised for a construction partner and should be able to start construction early summer. The project seeks to restore the stream bank at the bridge in Gary Pirkle Park and stabilize it to prevent further erosion. Anticipated completion is the final quarter of 2024.

Ridge Lake Park Phase II. Work has begun on the design for phase II of this project. We will add some obstacles in the dog park area, walking trails and disc golf. A meeting was recently held with two Sugar Hill residents who are disc golf course designers to see how this amenity fits into the overall park footprint. Construction should begin this summer. Work on a soft surface walking trail in the grass area behind the dog park has been laid out and our staff has begun construction.

West Broad St Streetscape. Initial design work and research has begun on enhancing the streetscapes in downtown. The project will consider various enhancements along W. Broad Street, including parking improvements, pedestrian safety improvements, traffic calming, street lighting, decorative signage, landscaping, street furniture and pedestrian crossing.  A public involvement meeting was held in March and comment period closed on the 16^th of April.  The project team is compiling, organizing and developing a response to the comments in the form of a revised concept board to be released later in May.