Rendering released of proposed 22/24 roundabout across the river

A new rendering of the proposed "three-legged" roundabout at the Ga. 22/Ga. 24 intersection across the river offers some new detail into the project.

The "center island" would be 150 feet in diameter and include raised landscaping, which is required by the Department of Transportation as a visual indicator to motorists to slow down. The roundabout also would include "multi purpose paths" for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as three rumble strips.

If all goes accordingly, construction would begin at some point in 2024. However, it's important to keep in mind that the project is in its infant and "conceptual design" stages, and there will be numerous other meetings and votes taken around the new government annex by Carrington Woods.

County commissioners heard some of the "conceptual" details at its most recent regular meeting. Jonathan Dechko, an engineering consultant, said that multiple features of the intersection currently are "substandard," including the "viewing angles," "approach angles" and "poor visibility."

“The purpose of the project is to really improve the safety of that intersection by reducing the potential of points of conflict and the potential of crashes," said Deckho, who work for Gresham Smith, a firm that works in conjunction with the Department of Transporation.

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According to the DOT's roundabout web page, "roundabouts reduce severe crashes at intersections by about 80 percent." The idea, of course, is that someone is significantly less likely to be seriously injured in an accident when the speed limit is 25 miles per hour as opposed to 55 miles per hour, which is what's proposed for the new Ga. 22/ Ga. 24 roundabout.

During the construction phase of the proposed project, which would take roughly 18 months to complete, traffic would not be detoured, although there would be lane closures, according to the engineering firm.

Dechko added that the $3 million-plus project cost would be "entirely federally funded, incluring all construction, right-of-way acquisitions and utility installation.” The only direct cost to the county, he added, would be the lighting costs and the mowing/landscaping costs. All DOT-initiated roundabout projects are required to have lighting. Dechko gave county commissioners a figure of $3,000, in terms of how much it'd cost the county in electricity annually.

This caught the attention of Commissioners Sammy Hall and Emily Davis, who each offered some relatively serious pushback against the project. Hall first said that "we need that roundabout," but moments later said "I'm probably not in favor of it." Hall said that he had a problem with unfunded mandates and the state of Georgia "continually sending us the bill."

Davis shared similar concerns about the roughly $3,000 annual lighting cost.

"How can it be fully funded, but then you're asking us to do something financially?" she said.

The pushback seemed to catch Dechko off guard. When Hall asked him if other county commissions "fuss about" the electricity cost, Dechko replied "none of the projects that I've ever been a part of."

Commissioner Henry Craig spoke in favor of the project.

"We, as a commission, are very much used to unfunded mandates. It is $3,000, which in our budget situation is not outrageous and not a dealbreaker. We need a relationship with the Department of Transportation," he said. "I don't think that we should take a chance in harming our relationship, our reputation, with the Department of Transportation, which should be our partners. This dollar amount is not significant enough to me that we should potentially lose this project."

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County Manager Carlos Tobar seemed to concur.

"I think that Baldwin is the third unincorporated rural county in the state that's (Local Administered Project) certified," said Tobar, before rattling off the financial benefits of being "LAP certified." "We would like to maintain that positive image we have around the capital and continue to have that money flow to Baldwin County.”

After plenty of back and forth, at least relative to what the Jonathan Dechko gentleman was accustomed to from county commissions, the five commissioners unanimously passed a motion to "form a partnership with the DOT to move forward with the roundabout and that the DOT will look for other alternatives for lighting and the maintenance and that we will consider what amount of money to give once we get that information back."

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