GAINESVILLE —The expected cost of right-of-way for improvements to a section of Lanier Islands Parkway (Georgia 347), including a center turn lane, is now twice what the estimate was a few years ago.
The Gainesville-Hall Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee will consider amending the 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Plan, taking into account the new estimates, at a meeting next month. The "formal" public comment period ends July 12.
Sam Baker, GHMPO Senior Transportation Planner, says "...all we are doing is updating cost. The project itself did not change. The cost to purchase right-of-way has increased from $5 million to $10.2 million. This increased amount will come from federal and state sources. Georgia DOT updates cost estimates from time to time and has asked us to revise this cost."
"Final detailed cost estimates usually rise because we have much more detailed, 'real time' information as we approach the time to purchase rights of way," state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Teri Pope said. "In particular, (it) rose for several reasons: there were additional commercial impacts that were not in the 2012/13 estimates, additional parcels were needed so the overall number of parcels increased and the preliminary estimates did not include administrative fees."
Pope added that the $10.2 million is for the right of way purchases needed on the entire project.
"It is a three-lane lane widening, not four-lane," she said. "There will be a 14-feet wide continuous center turn lane from McEver Road almost to the entrance of Lake Lanier Islands. The existing intersection of 347 and New Bethany Road will be moved north, behind the cemetery – this new intersection will be a roundabout. The roundabout will have extra wide lanes to accommodate vehicles pulling trailers and boats or RVs. The project also has a five-feet wide sidewalk on one side and a ten-feet wide multiuse trail, matching the sidewalks/multi use trail that is along the corridor already."
You can see the plans from the open house held in 2013 on GDOT's website. Use this link http://www.dot.ga.gov/PS/Public/PublicOutreach then choose Hall County from the pull down list and the SR 347/Lanier Islands Parkway project.
The GHMPO Policy Committee meeting is scheduled for August 11. For more information on that group and its work, click here http://www.ghmpo.org .
