Wednesday, March 20, 2024–6:20 p.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
Utility Relocation continues in preparation for the Second Avenue widening project, and members of the Rome-Floyd County Transportation Policy Committee got an update on Wednesday.
Samantha Henry with the Georgia Department of Transportation told the committee that the contractor will get started once the utility work is completed.
“C.W. Matthews is preparing for a stage one traffic shift along Second Avenue,” she said. “Their schedule right now is contingent on the utilities. When I know more, I can let you all know more, but right now it’s still just utilities.”
The Contractor’s current schedule shows the shift taking place as early as the end of this month or as late as October. It will ultimately come down to the order in which the water lines will be relocated and the storm drain pipes installed in the area of the stage one shift.
Rome City Manager Sammy Rich told Henry that he has been getting calls expressing concern about access to the Atrium Health Floyd Emergency Room entrance when traffic backs up in the area.
Rome Public Works Director Chris Jenkins explained what is happening.
“When they are doing utility work to the left of the old Hardees, you have to detour back towards Martha Berry Boulevard, and there is not a designated traffic signal to let you turn left,” he said. “So, you have all that traffic coming the other way from Martha Berry, and the left turn to go toward West Rome is cut off. Maybe two cars can go at a time and it backs up for a long period of time.”
The entire project has an estimated completion date of September 29, 2026. Once finished, two lanes will run in each direction separated by a median that allows for turn lanes into the Atrium Health Floyd campus and Heritage Park. The split in the road at the intersection will be eliminated. Traffic from downtown will be directed to Martha Berry Boulevard or to turn lanes for Turner McCall or Shorter Avenue. There will also be two left turn lanes going toward West Rome.
Another major project still appears to be a way off.
According to GDOT records, the bridge replacement on Tuner McCall Boulevard over the Etowah River and Norfolk Southern Railroad now has a let date of July of 2026. However, funds for construction are not expected to be available until 2028.
Another project, which has been underway for years, is the Highway 140 widening and reconstruction in Floyd and Bartow County.
Henry told the TPC that the contractor is preparing for a traffic shift for the reconstruction of the eastbound lanes between Old Highway 140 and Big Ditch Road. The contractor expects all pay items to be completed by this summer.
