County proposes full-depth reclamation for Shoal Creek Road; seeks roughly $497,000 from DOT

Robert Drury presented the county’s proposed 2025 Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG) application for Shoal Creek Road and recommended a full-depth reclamation (FDR) project rather than a simple repave, citing widespread base failures and narrow pavement width. Drury said Georgia DOT expects a 30% local match and staff estimate the project at about $1.1 million, with approximately $497,000 expected from DOT and roughly $600,000 from county sources.

Drury noted an existing settlement/release agreement from May 2020 obligates the county to repave Shoal Creek Road from the courthouse to State Route 136 and that the road includes a short gap that falls within the city limits near the bridge; LMIG funding can cover only unincorporated sections. He said the county and the city have discussed cost-sharing and he has asked the county attorney to prepare an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) for formal action.

Drury also requested a two-foot paved safety shoulder and compared the proposal to a previous FDR project on Burr Creek Road. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the grant match, whether special safety LMIG funds might be available, and whether contractors mobilized for the bridge and roundabout work could be notified to pursue cost efficiencies.

The work session recorded discussion and clarifications; the board did not take a final vote during the segments provided. If approved and funded, the project would rebuild Shoal Creek Road by FDR from the historic courthouse to State Route 136, adding a safety shoulder and addressing base failures.