The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce held its annual Transportation forum Tuesday at the University of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus to address Hall County’s transportation projects.
In a video presentation, Kelvin Mullins, a district one engineer with the Georgia Department of Transportation, gave an update about the road projects within Hall County.
Six lane road Dawsonville Highway/Ga. 53
Six-lane road construction on Dawsonville Highway between Ahaluna Drive and Shallowford Road in Gainesville is set to begin in early 2024. This project will cost about $5 million. Six-lane road will reduce conjunction in the area, according to Mullins.
As part of the project, GDOT plans to build a median that will restrict left turns coming from Beechwood Boulevard NW onto Ga. 53. The median will force drivers to turn right onto Ga. 53 and make a U-turn.
Elimination of the YMCA Drive and Lanier Tech Drive traffic signal
A $15 million project will begin in 2025 to eliminate the traffic signal on YMCA Drive and Lanier Tech Drive. A bridge will be built to cross Ga. 365, connecting YMCA Drive and Lanier Tech Drive by roundabouts.
“This is a great project to continue mobility through the area, especially with the inland port coming in this area about a mile north of here,” Mullins said.
The Northeast Georgia Inland Port is a 104-acre inland port that will link Gainesville to the docks of Savannah and will provide a direct rail route to the Port of Savannah.
Completion of Hall-Dawson County line bridge
Construction of a new bridge to replace the old bridge on the Hall County and Dawson County line over Lake Lanier is set to be completed by the end of July. The $9.2 million construction began in 2021 and will be completed this year.
Redesign of Green Street
In a video update, Chairman of the Hall County Commission Richard Higgins and Gainesville Mayor Sam Couvillon explained major projects in Gainesville. This included an update on the redesign of Historic Green Street.
Green Street could see total reconstruction by 2025, Couvillion said.
“The City of Gainesville has paid for the engineering and design of that to try to help move that project along,” he said.
Possible introduction of TSPLOST funds
With all the transportation updates coming to Hall County and the City of Gainesville, a sales tax referendum to help support the projects was also mentioned.
A transportation special purpose local option sales tax, or TSPLOST, was proposed. Although no date to vote on the referendum was decided, President and CEO of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce Kit Dunlap hoped it would be some time in November, she said.
