Effingham County officials are hoping to start work on the Old Augusta Road project by the end of the year.

The county has acquired the final pieces of property it needs for the right-of-way. There will be straightening of a curve and the road will be re-aligned.

“We’re constructing a brand-new, two-lane, asphalt road,” Assistant County Administrator David Crawley said.

The new Old Augusta Road will be 3.1 miles long, with 2.7 miles of new construction and a .375-mile deceleration lane along Highway 21.

The county acquired seven tracts of the D.B. Warnell Estate, totaling 47.84 acres, and also filed a taking to get 6.691 acres from Del-A-Rae Corporation.

The county also acquired the land around the Pineora ballpark and the ballpark itself for $894,000.

Commissioners agreed to the final acquisitions and the purchase of the Pineora ballpark last Thursday in a special called meeting and the necessary court filings were made Monday. The acquisition of the Warnell tracts and the Pineora ballpark were added to the agenda at the meeting.

Commissioners entered executive session before adding the items to the agenda and approving them.

Work could begin before the end of the year, now that the county has the final parcels in. The county has yet to select a contractor. R.B. Baker Construction has submitted the lowest bid.

“We have to get the signed (state Department of Transportation) contract back to proceed,” Crawley said.

The county also acquired nearly 20 acres in four tracts for $50,300 at its regular October meeting.