Road work is now underway on the three-phase County Farm Road, U.S. Highway 84/Knox Road/New School Road construction and improvement project.
East Coast Asphalt of Douglas is the contractor on the $4.35 million project. Current completion date is projected for August, 2025.
Jill Nagel, public information officer with the Georgia Department of Transportation, said last week utility installation and relocation and drainage structures are now being put in place.
“(Once) the school year ends (early next week), the contractor is looking to use the summer break period to complete much of the construction activities,” Nagel said.
Plans call for three intersection improvements along U.S. Highway 84 between County Farm Road and Owens Crossing.
A new road, Shiloh Road Extension, would be constructed from U.S. Highway 84, across to County Farm Road behind the United Market to tie in with the existing intersection of County Farm Road and Shiloh Road.
A second northbound lane would be constructed on County Farm Road from Shiloh Road to the entrance driveway of Pierce County Middle School.
Additional phases of the project will construct deceleration lanes (left turn lanes) and center turn lanes on U.S. Highway 84 at the intersections of New School Road/Owens Road and Knox Road.
Some west bound lane road closures are expected with the project at the New School Road intersection.
Due to its proximity to both the high school and middle school and United Market and the the Dollar General stores the area features high traffic flow. All three areas have been the site of 60 accidents and two fatalities in recent years.
The improvements would improve traffic flow and safety at these intersections by separating turning traffic from the higher speed through traffic on U.S. Highway 84.
The project will be funded as part of the Transportation Investment Act (TIA). The Southern Georgia Region, including Pierce and 17 other counties in the area, approved a 10year one percent sales tax to fund regional and local transportation improvements. The Southern Georgia Region passed the sales tax in 2018.
TIA projects are funded using the regional sales tax.
