Habersham County has become home to the orange construction bin as the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) continues to work on highways and bridges in and around the county.
Roundabouts
Habersham County residents are watching as construction progresses on the roundabout at the intersection of GA 105 and GA 115 in Fairview Township. The roundabout is nearly 30% complete, according to Elizabeth Johnson, planning and programming liaison for DOT District 1.
The $4,981,735 project began in late summer 2023 and is not expected to be completed until May 31, 2025.
About the time one roundabout is finished, construction begins on another. The roundabout at the intersection of GA 17 and GA 197 in Clarkesville has not yet begun, but is on its way. Johnson states the project will go out to bid in April 2025. The project has experienced delays due to right-of-way acquisition and design changes due to infrastructure at that location.
retaining wall
The retaining wall adjacent to Central Avenue in Demorest sustained significant structural damage during Hurricane Delta in October 2020. The Department of Transportation put the project out to bid and awarded it to Vertical Earth in February 2023 for the bid amount of $732,928. The project lay dormant for nearly three years until demolition and construction began in May 2023.
However, the wall was again left unused due to delays in supplying the required handrail along the walkway at the top of the retaining wall. A further setback was when the seal on part of the seal failed and had to be replaced, delaying completion of the handrail installation.
Until recently, the sidewalk was lined with construction barrels and one end of the walkway was closed to pedestrian traffic. Johnson said the project is complete and open to the public, according to the county office.
Johnny Mize Bridge
For nearly a year, the city of Demorest and other utilities have been moving their utility lines in preparation for the bridge replacement project that will cross Hazel Creek next to Piedmont University. The $6.8 million project is not expected to be completed until April 2026. Johnson has not yet released any updates on the project.
Replacement of the Duncan Bridge
Another bridge replacement project for Habersham County will also impact White County residents and travelers heading to Helen and further north.
The bridge on GA 384/Duncan Bridge Road on the Habersham-White County border that crosses the Chattahoochee River will be replaced in the near future. Few details of the project are currently available. Johnson said the project is in the pre-construction phase and engineers are working on the design. Bids for this project will not be received until May 2027.
Motorists traveling on state roads in the region should remain alert and use caution when driving through these construction sites. Traffic delays are expected to continue as construction continues on each project. The Georgia Department of Transportation urges drivers to watch for construction crews and obey posted speed limits.
