The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is going forward with plans for a right-in, right-out interchange for SR 316 and McNutt Creek Road with the complete elimination of cross traffic on McNutt Creek Road.
Oconee County officials have expressed a preference for a grade-separated interchange, citing the negative impact the proposed design will have on Fire Station No. 7, on traffic on local roads, and on the Gateway Technology and Business Park.
The Georgia Department of Driver Services and the Georgia State Patrol, which are building new facilities on McNutt Creek Road south of SR 316, also have stated concerns that the proposed GDOT design will negatively impact their operations.
GDOT officials have responded that the proposed design has minimal impacts to right-of-way, utilities, and environmental resources due to its smaller footprint and that it is cost effective.
GDOT says that traffic will be able to use the new full interchange planned for SR 316 at Dials Mill Extension and the existing interchange at U.S. 78 to double back and access McNutt Creek Road.
GDOT also is planning to use right-in, right-out slip ramps at Mars Hill Road north of SR 316 and to close off access to SR 316 from Mars Hill Road on the south side of the highway.
These plans by GDOT are included in an August 2024 approved Concept Report released last week to Sharon Thelen, local activist who filed an open records request for the document.
The documents released to Thelen do not provide a start date for the construction, but the GDOT web site lists right-of-way acquisition for 2026 with construction beginning in 2027.
Open Records Requests
Thelen, who runs the Oconee 316 Keeping Neighbors Informed web site, filed her open records request on Nov. 18, asking for the Concept Report for the McNutt Creek Road interchange project (PI 0013764) that had been approved in August of this year.
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GDOT responded on Nov. 21 with a detailed 129-page document, which Thelen shared with me a few days later.
Included are brief descriptions of what is labeled the preferred design as well as alternatives, notes from minutes of meetings with stakeholders, and email exchanges with GDOT officials.
Cost estimates are either missing or blanked out, and no actual designs are included, though GDOT had released preliminary designs to Thelen in response to earlier open records requests.
Preferred Design
In an email message on June 11 of this year, Charles A. Robinson, Assistant State Program Delivery Administrator, said “After further discussion with Albert, the following action items were given regarding the following two SR 316 projects.”
For McNutt Creek Road, “Proceed with slip ramps with Emergency Access Vehicle Accommodations as currently proposed,” he wrote.
For Mars Hill Road, “Proceed with Slip Ramps north of SR 316 and Cul-de-sac south of SR 316,” he said.
Albert seems to refer to Albert Shelby, Director of Program Delivery for GDOT, who is copied on the message.
On Sept. 13, 2023, C. Andy Casey, GDOT Design Engineer, had written to Robinson via email that “The expectation for the emergency turn around is for the fire engine to make use of the existing paved shoulders on both sides of SR 316 to accommodate a u-turn maneuver.”
“During an emergency call, all vehicles must yield to the lights and sirens of first responders thus allowing full use of the paved width on both sides of SR 316,” he wrote.
“We will not be proposing to add deceleration lane or a bump out as this if (is) for emergency use only and is not designed for everyday/high speed use,” he continued. “In addition, a deceleration and bump out would cause additional mis-use and additional safety concerns.”
Preferred And Alternative Designs
The preferred right-in, right-out design would require right-of-way from eight parcels, but it would result in no displacements, according to the documents released to Thelen.
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The design proposes to use a tighter curve than is recommended on all four ramps to minimize needed right-of-way to reduce impacts to structures, the GDOT report states.
The existing at grade crossover will be removed and replaced with a 44-foot depressed grass median section.
The median break for emergency vehicles will be added to the west of the freeway terminal of the on-ramp to the west of McNutt Creek Road to accommodate fire trucks coming from Oconee County Fire Station No. 7 north of the intersection.
Estimated construction time is 24 months.
The first alternative is for a grade-separated overpass for McNutt Creek Road to cross over SR 316 without access to the four-lane highway. It would impact 17 properties.
The second alternative, referred to as a Tight Urban Diamond Interchange (TUDI), would allow full access on SR 316 and McNutt Creek Road. It would impact 21 parcels, including an unspecified number of displacements.
The third alternative is for a right-in, right-out design with longer ramp terminal curves. It would impact 14 parcels, including five displacements.
State, County Concerns
According to the minutes of a meeting on Dec. 12, 2023, Bob Griffin and Derek Prosser, representing the Department of Driver Services and Georgia State Patrol, said the loss of access across SR 316 with the preferred design “is critical.”
They stated that the “bulk of their customers will be coming from Athens,” which will not be able to reach their new facility without traveling west pass McNutt Creek Road, exiting at Dials Mill Exchange, and then returning to the east-bound exit on McNutt Creek Road.
Griffin and Prosser “noted that Georgia State Patrol wants to be able to get onto SR 316 from McNutt Creek Road,” according to the minutes.
In written comments, unnamed Oconee County officials said the lack of access to McNutt Creek Road with the preferred design “impacts citizens as well as public safety response and two new economic development projects.”
“The slip ramp alternative will also drive traffic to local roads not designed for the increase in daily trips,” the county wrote, according to the minutes.
Changes in the reach of the Fire Station will impact Insurance Service Office (ISO) ratings, the county wrote, as “Response will be greatly impacted.”
In a meeting on Jan.25, 2024, Oconee County Board of Commissioners Chair John Daniell said the TUDI design could be shifted east to reduce its impact on properties.
Bruce Thaxton, Oconee County Fire Chief, told GDOT in an email on Aug. 15 of 2023 that “The full interchange at Highway 316 & McNutt Creek Road is the only option for a fire response for Station 7.” The station is on McNutt Creek Road just north of SR 316.
Gateway, MACORTS
According to the documents released to Thelen, GDOT says funding for the McNutt Creek intersection with SR 316 will come entirely from state monies.
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| IDA Member Courtney Bernardi, County Attorney Haygood, IDA Chair Brock Toole, 10/28/2024 |
As a result, MACORTS, the federally mandated metropolitan planning organization for Oconee County, has not been involved in discussions for the intersection.
The recently adopted 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan lists the McNutt Creek Road project, but without any funding through 2050.
At a July 2023 meeting of the MACORTS Technical Coordinating Committee, SueAnne Decker, then GDOT District PreConstruction Engineer, said in response to a question that a “tight urban design” full interchange will be built at McNutt Creek Road.
Oconee County donated the 13.4 acres on McNutt Creek Road south of SR 316 to the state of Georgia on Feb. 2 of 2024 for the Department of Driver Services and Georgia State Patrol facility.
The Oconee County Department of Driver Services and Georgia State Patrol offices will replace those currently on U.S. 29 on the northeast of Athens-Clarke County.
The acreage donated by the county technically was part of the Gateway Technology and Business Park, but the Industrial Development Authority, which developed the Park, had been unable to find any buyer for it.
On June 5 of this year, the county sold the final parcel in the Park, 52.8 acres north of SR 316, to Industrial Property Management LLC of Watkinsville.
At its meeting on Oct. 28, the Industrial Development Authority turned over Development Guidelines for that and another currently undeveloped parcel now owned by Gateway East Owner LLC to the three owners of property in the park.
County Attorney Daniell Haygood said the Industrial Development Authority no longer has any responsibility for the Park, though, as Daniell, a member of the IDA, told GDOT, the Park is affected by the McNutt Creek Road intersection plans.
3 comments:
All, It pains me to delete a very nice comment I just received, but the person did not use a full name.
Please sign each comment with a full, real name.
Thanks.
Lee
Thanks Lee Becker for all you do. Oconee Connections is my first read from the "inbox" when new posts are up. Chris Jones
Thank you, Chris. I really appreciate all you and Sharon have done as well. It takes a village.
Lee
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