Oconee County Commission Chair John Daniell waited until about 12 minutes into his 40-minute-long State of the County address on Wednesday to talk about what he said he knew his audience was most interested in hearing: his annual transportation project update.
Daniell reviewed the status of 11 Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) projects in the county and eight county funded projects.
Included was the report that design work on a U.S. 441 bypass of Bishop is now scheduled for 2029–the first time a date has been assigned to the project--and that a Public Information Open House on the SR 15 truck bypass of Watkinsville is scheduled for April 16.
Daniell said construction on three interchanges with SR 316 is now well underway, and his advice–delivered to laughter--is to “avoid the area.” The project isn’t expected to be completed until 2028 at the earliest.
Daniell said he expects construction of the Dials Mill Extension interchange with SR 316 to begin “in the next several weeks,” and that he anticipates the widening of U.S. 441 from the county line to Bishop “to get pushed back significantly” from the advertised 2028 construction date.
Daniell also used the State of the County address to provide an update on the planned Dawson Park on Rocky Branch Road—saying the county has “five plates in the air,” representing separate phases of the project already underway.
He outlined provisions of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), which is up for renewal on the May 19 Primary and Nonpartisan election, and confirmed that the county plans to seek renewal of the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) in November.
Daniell said the county Tourism Department is coordinating a month long celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary that includes events in each of the county’s four cities and culminates on July 3 with countywide events, including a drone show.
Daniell ended his remarks, as has in past years, by saying “the state of your county is strong, and our future is bright.”
GDOT Projects
After discussing county finances, legislative attempts to reduce property taxes, and other topics, Daniell paused briefly and looked up at the audience of just more than 100 assembled at the Civic Center and smiled.
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“Now, what everybody really comes to hear about is the road projects and where we're at on them,” he said.
Daniell said construction of the of the Jimmy Daniell Road, Virgil Langford Road, and Oconee Connector interchanges with SR 316 is scheduled to be completed in 2028, “but don't hold your breath.”
“You just really need to avoid this area,” he said. “If you try to go through Jimmy Daniell Road right now on (SR) 316, you're going to sit there.”
Daniell said the widening of U.S. 441 from Madison to the Oconee County Line hasn’t started yet, and that it is scheduled to be completed before the widening planned for Oconee County.
“They're showing construction in 2028 (in Oconee County),” he said. “I really expect that to get pushed back significantly.”
“They're showing design beginning in 2029" for the U.S. 441 bypass of Bishop, Daniell said. “That's the first time they've put a date on there that we've seen in writing.”
GDOT has awarded a bid to GP Construction for the full interchange of SR 316 and Dials Mill Extension, Daniell said. “That'll be a $26.4 million project, and they should be starting construction here in the next several weeks,” he added.
Construction of a right-in, right-out interchange of McNutt's Creek Road and SR 316 is scheduled for 2027, Daniell said, and the closing of the Mars Hill Road interchange–with cul-de-sacs on each end–is scheduled for 2030.
“Julian Drive is now showing as an access road,” Daniell said. “Julian Drive will go up to Highway 78,” he added. “And that'll be your access point there. Construction for that is set for 2030.”
Construction of an improved interchange of SR 316 with SR Loop 10 is scheduled for 2032, Daniell said.
GDOT Watkinsville Projects
Daniell turned next to three GDOT projects focused on Watkinsville, starting with the Watkinsville Bypass.
“That will be a cut-through from Highway (SR) 15 over to (U.S.) 441,” Daniell said. “Funding was provided two years ago.”
“Right of way will start sometime this year, supposedly,” he said. “We do have a (GDOT) Public Information Open House on April 16, and that will run from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Oconee County Administrative Building (7635 Macon Highway).”
“They'll have pictures up of three different routes,” Daniell said. “They have one that is the preferred route, and they'll take input from you on those.”
“We have not seen those maps at this point,” Daniell said, “and probably will not see them until the same time you see them.”
Daniell said the interchange of U.S. 441 at Experiment Station Road–”where the widening just ended--there are long-term plans to improve that interchange as well. That's 2051.”
“And then the widening of Experiment Station from (U.S.) 441 into the downtown Watkinsville has been shelved at this point. We don't know when that will come back up.”
County Transportation Projects
Daniell said the roundabout at Snows Mill Road and Lane Creek Road–a county funded project--is complete, and a roundabout at New High Shoals Road and Union Church Road is under construction now.
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“We should be done with that hopefully shortly,” he said. “We just need the final paving to be done.”
A roundabout at Astondale Road and Colham Ferry Road is under contract “and they should be starting shortly after Union Church and New High Shoals is completed."
A roundabout at Cole Springs Road at Snows Mill Road and Aycock Road is currently in design, Daniell said, and a roundabout at Moore’s Ford Road and Lane Creek Road is in the concept phase.
A roundabout for SR 53 (Hog Mountain Road) and Clotfelter Road/Cole Spring Road “is currently in the design process,” Daniell said.
“There is no funding mechanism in place right now,” he added. “We're just trying to get it shovel-ready, and we're working with the Department of Transportation (GDOT) on some possible funding from them to help out there.”
“We're also working on a project at Hog Mountain Road at Wellbrook Road, putting in a roundabout there,” Daniell said. “And there'll be some other traffic changes from there all the way to the (U.S.) 441 interchange.”
“SR 53 (Hog Mountain Road) is supposed to get paved this year as well,” Daniell said. “So that'll be another place to avoid when they start paving,” he added with a smile, and to laughter.
Dawson Park
“So we have about five plates spinning on Dawson Park,” Daniell said, when he turned to his review of parks and recreation projects in the county. “So I'm going to try to explain them to you and talk about what the timeline is.”
The county is in the process of converting 250 acres on Rocky Branch Road that currently is being used as a Land Application System wastewater treatment site to a park.
“First of all, our first goal is to get the entire site graded with all infrastructure in place,” Daniell said. “This would give us pad-ready sites for any buildings that are going in and for where the fields are supposed to be.”
“Our goal is hopefully to have, depending on the permitting, a construction contract awarded by the fourth quarter of this year, and then they will start as soon as possible after that,” he said.
“At the same time, we need to make some road improvements to Rocky Branch Road,” Daniell said, turning to his second plate spinning.
“We expect to have those construction documents and permitting completed by year end with a contract award in the first quarter of 2027,” Daniell said.
“Third plate spinning are for the actual fields, lighting, concessions, and restrooms that have to go in,” Daniell said.
“Construction documents and permitting should be completed by the second quarter of 2027,” Daniell said, “and we will bid those as soon as possible based on the grading status.”
“Plate four that's spinning is the county services,” Daniell said. “We're combining our road department, water department outside crew, as well as our fleet maintenance into one location” on the back side of Dawson Park, he added.
“Construction documents and permitting should be done by the third quarter of this year,” Daniell said. “So once the grading starts, and it's clear for somebody to get in and start on that building, they will.”
“And the fifth area (plate) is the gym,” Daniell said. “This construction documents are expected by the third quarter of this year,” he added.
“So there's estimates of up 18 to 24 months on just the grading, to get the site leveled and all the infrastructure,” Daniell said.
SPLOST
“Now I want to talk a little bit about SPLOST 27 that's up for your vote on May 19,” Daniell said as he was bringing the presentation to an end. “SPLOST has been very important to Oconee County in getting projects done.”
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| Daniell 3/18/2026 |
Daniell said the estimate is that SPLOST 2027 will generate between $75 million and $90 million during its six-year duration.
The county will receive between $65.2 million and $78.6 million, with the remaining monies going to each of the county’s four cities, based on population.
Daniell said the county is setting aside $13.2 million in its SPLOST revenues to pay off two bonds the county has outstanding, one for building Oconee Veterans Park and the other for construction of the county Administrative Building.
Money also will go toward water and sewer facilities, farmland protection, emergency services facilities and equipment, and historic and scenic preservation.
“Our public safety radio system needs some technology upgrades,” Daniell said. “We need some radio replacements as well as pager replacements,” he continued. “We're asking for 6 million of SPLOST dollars to do.”
Without SPLOST, Daniell said, this type of spending would have to come from the General Fund.
The purchase of Law Enforcement vehicles will be funded by between $4.1 and $5.1 million from SPLOST revenues.
The largest category of funding by far is for parks and recreation, with between $24.0 and $30.8 million set aside for that purpose. Included is money for Dawson Park, Daniell said.
June And July Events
Daniell said the county Tourism Department is coordinating “a month-long celebration” of the country’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
On June 6 Wire Park in Watkinsville “will have re-enactors, kids games, live music, as well as the Farmers Market going on,” Daniell said.
On June 13, Daniell said, “Bogart will have a night on Bogart's Main Street with live music, food vendors, drinks, and fun for all ages.”
“And then High Shoals and Bishop have teamed up,” he said, with programs on June 20th at High Shoals Park and June 20 and June 21 at Bishop Community Center.
“And then on July 3rd will be the full Oconee County celebration,” Daniell said. “There's a 5-K run, bike parade, live music from local vendors. And we'll end the night with a drone show.”
“It should be an exciting time,” he said.
Odds And Ends
Daniell said the county’s personnel numbers “are staying level from FY (Fiscal Year) 25 to FY 26, steady at 282.”
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| Daniell 3/18/2026 |
The county issued 206 residential building permits in Fiscal Year 2025, down from 212 the year before, Daniell reported.
“I estimate we have about 2,400 zoned residential lots that are not active,” he said, with 70 percent of those zoned prior to 2009 and “with a huge majority of those having residential sewer available.”
“Our next big thing in planning is our Comprehensive Plan update that's due in 2028,” Daniell said. “So starting late this year, first of next year, we're going to be seeking your engagement.”
“It's very important that you take part in this because this is your opportunity to help us decide how Oconee County will look in the future,” Daniell said. “So keep an eye out for that opportunity.”
“We're going to give you an opportunity to renew that (TSPLOST) in the November ballot,” Daniell said. “So be looking out for opportunities on that. That has been a huge plus to Oconee County, getting our infrastructure straightened out.”
“We get a lot of complaints about speeding in Oconee County,” Daniell.
“I'll just tell you it's not new,” said Daniell, whose family goes back many years in the county. “I remember my grandparents talking about their parents fussing about somebody riding their horse too fast through downtown Watkinsville.”
Video
I recorded the video below, which is on my Vimeo channel.
I posted about Daniell's comments on legislation before the state General Assembly on property tax relief on March 19.
Daniell began speaking at 2:25 in the video, following an introduction by Courtney Bernardi, president of the Oconee Chamber of Commerce.
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