Sectional approach recommended for Ware construction
About 30 concerned residents gathered Thursday evening at the C. C. McCray City Auditorium as ATLAS Technical Consultants presented the long-awaited Ware County Perimeter Feasibility Study.
The study is a detailed analysis which concludes a full bypass around Waycross is unlikely to ever be built. But, several southern and western segments could still offer meaningful relief to freight congestion and downtown traffic.
The hearing, led by Todd Long and Matt Barker of ATLAS, walked the audience through the 2026 report’s findings, which were developed alongside the county’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
Long opened by reminding attendees why the study was commissioned — Waycross’ role as a regional crossroads, combined with the presence of CSX’s Rice Yard. Blocked railroad crossings funnel heavy truck traffic directly through downtown and create unpredictable travel times.
The consultants explained the study began with a “full perimeter” concept at the request of the Ware County Commission, but environmental screening quickly revealed the same obstacles which had halted earlier bypass proposals.
Some of the near three dozen who attended last week’s presentation on a road to ease traffic congestion in Waycross listen as Todd Long explains the recommendation of the Ware County Perimeter Feasability Study. Photo by DANNY BARTLETT
Consultants said construction of a perimeter road would be best accomplished in sections toward completion. Graphic by ATLAS Technical Consultants
Northern and northeastern routes would require major new bridges over the Satilla River, extensive wetland impacts, and right-of-way acquisition through established neighborhoods.
Long described those segments as “cost-prohibitive and environmentally constrained,” offering limited benefit compared to their price.
Barker then shifted to the parts of the study that drew the most interest from the crowd — the southern and western corridors. These segments avoid the Satilla River entirely and tie directly into U.S. 82, U.S. 84, U.S. 1, and U.S. 23 — the very routes that carry the region’s heaviest freight volumes.
According to the study, these corridors would provide the strongest operational benefit by diverting through-trucks away from Plant Avenue, Memorial Drive, and other downtown streets where rail delays are most severe.
The consultants emphasized the study does not recommend a single large project. Instead, it outlines a phased strategy that preserves right-of-way and positions the county to pursue funding for the most feasible segments first.
The report’s final recommendations call for Ware County to focus long-range planning on a southern arc between U.S. 82 and U.S. 84, along with a western connector linking U.S. 84 to U.S. 23. These segments scored highest in cost-benefit analysis and present the fewest environmental hurdles.
In the question-answer period, several residents asked whether the county could still pursue a full loop in the distant future.
Long was direct, saying: “A complete perimeter is not realistic under current conditions,” said Long.
He added the county would see far greater return by concentrating on the segments that are actually buildable.
The study’s conclusion echoes that message. While acknowledging the community’s long-standing desire for a bypass, it stresses that a targeted approach is the only practical path forward.
The consultants encouraged Ware County to integrate the recommended segments into its long-term transportation planning and continue monitoring freight trends that may strengthen the case for phased construction.
For now, the county has a map — not for a full ring around Waycross, but for the pieces that can make a measurable difference.
