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GDOT accepting Effingham Parkway bids
10.09 road meeting 1
Brad Hale of Moreland Altobelli discusses the proposed route for the Effingham Parkway in October 2009. - photo by Photo by Pat Donahue

 SPRINGFIELD — A long-awaited transportation project is on the verge of entering the fast lane.

Near the end of a May 4 meeting of the Effingham County Board of Commissioners, County Manager Tim Callanan confirmed that the Georgia Department of Transportation is advertising for bids for the Effingham Parkway.

“We will close out and we should know I believe by May 21,” Callanan said.

The Effingham Parkway, which will be funded in large part by the State of Georgia, is a county priority. Work on it, delayed several times by financial issues and other concerns, is currently set to start in July. It will provide an alternate north-south route to Ga. Hwy 21.

According to GDOT, the project would consist of constructing a two-lane new location roadway. The project would begin at Ga. Hwy 30 approximately 1.5 miles west of Ga. Hwy 21 and end at Blue Jay Road, approximately 3.2 miles west of Ga. Hwy 21. The intersection of Effingham Parkway at Blue Jay Road would be realigned to have Effingham Parkway tie into the east side of Blue Jay Road and the west side of Blue Jay Road would form a T-intersection with Effingham Parkway. 

The typical section is proposed to have 12-foot lanes with 10-foot outside shoulders (including 6.5-foot paved) on an 80-foot right-of-way. Right-turn and left-turn lanes would be provided at the intersections of SR 30, Goshen Road, Walter Tuten Road and Blue Jay Road. The total length of the project is approximately 6.4 miles.

Effingham County has an obligation of about $5 million for the parkway. It was reported last fall that the total cost is expected to be $58 million.

The preliminary engineerint report on the project was issued in 2005.