CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. () – In a bid to alleviate traffic congestion, Chatham County officials are advancing their plans to address the persistent bottlenecks at the President Street railroad crossing.
With an estimated budget of $85 million, the county is looking to mitigate the delays experienced by drivers due to frequent train crossings along this busy thoroughfare.
The centerpiece of the plan is a proposed bridge that would span over the railroad tracks, effectively separating train movements from road traffic. Officials highlighted that the existing crossing significantly contributes to traffic snarls, particularly because it’s so close to ramps for the Truman Parkway.
These officials noted that when trains pause on the tracks, it doesn’t take long for congestion to occur, raising safety concerns for motorists.
According to Senior Transportation Engineer Deana Brooks, this initiative is also anticipated to enhance overall traffic flow throughout the area.
“And it creates a new on ramp at President Street and Truman Parkway,” Brooks said. “It consolidates everything to operate at one traffic signal. So, folks would only have to stop at one location.”
Brooks said the goal is to make the corridor easier and safer for drivers.
The project is currently in the design phase. Chatham County recently received a $7.5 million federal grant to help move the work forward, but officials said additional funding will be needed to complete the project.
“We are trying to be aggressive in seeking out additional funds so that we will be able to deliver this project,” said Brooks. “This is also a SPLOST initiative project. And so, while the SPLOST funds aren’t going to completely cover the price of the project, it will allow us to make a match and be more competitive when we go after grants to get this project done.”
She added there could still be challenges as the project moves forward, including utility coordination and environmental considerations.
“We also can see challenges with the utilities that are going to exist in this corridor,” Brooks said. “When we are bridging that, we’re planning on doing, we’ll have a lot of utility coordination. And then also, recognizing that we are going over a canal and so really diving deep and looking at the environmental impacts that we’ll have with this project as well.”
Officials said construction is estimated to begin around 2032.