The Georgia Department of Transportation recently awarded new contracts for projects in the agency’s east-central Georgia district.

The largest contract, valued at $20.48 million, will build new bridges in Jenkins County on State Route 21 over the railroad crossing located near US 25. SR 21 is part of the Savannah River Parkway, a key corridor that connects Augusta and Savannah via a four-lane highway.

Millen, the Jenkins County seat, is home to a Norfolk Southern switching station for trains moving between Augusta, Macon, and Savannah. Trains come to a complete stop as they switch at Millen’s Norfolk Southern station, often blocking all railroad crossings in town for hours at a time.

To help provide some relief, Georgia DOT began installing Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) equipment in 2021 at seven locations in Jenkins County to provide advanced warning for drivers when crossings are blocked.

This newly awarded project aims to permanently solve the existing problem in Millen. Two new bridges will be built over the railroad. A staged construction approach will be used, meaning the bridges will be built one at a time. Each bridge will be 180 feet long with two travel lanes and shoulders on both sides. Both will be constructed on the existing alignment of SR 21.

“One great thing about this project is that the travelling public will see a huge improvement before it is complete,” District Engineer Corbett Reynolds said. “After traffic is moved to the first bridge, it won’t matter what the train is doing anymore, despite construction of the second bridge continuing.”

This project will be delivered multiple years ahead of schedule. It received a $12 million grant from the USDOT Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program, a part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

“It's a big project for us,” said Millen Mayor King Rocker. “I just want to say thank you to the governor and to GDOT for seeing our need and helping us find the resolution and implement it to get us out of this bad situation.”

G.P.’s Enterprises, Inc. has been awarded the project. A completion date of August 31, 2029 has been given.

In Washington County, State Route 272 will be resurfaced. E.R. Snell Contractor, Inc. has been awarded this $5.09 million project to resurface the entire 15.22 mile route, between SR 68 and SR 540/The Fall Line Freeway. A completion date of February 28, 2027 has been given.

In Lincoln County, State Route 43 Connector/Old Petersburg Road will be resurfaced. Garrett Paving Company, Inc. has been awarded this $696 thousand project to resurface the entire 1.87 mile route, between SR 47 and SR 43/US 378. A completion date of February 28, 2027 has been given.