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County plans full rebuild of Low Ground Road; ordinance changes aim to curb truck cut‑throughs
Summary
Effingham County described an expensive conversion of Low Ground Road from chip seal over ash to a standard 10‑inch soil‑cement and 3‑inch asphalt roadway with wider lanes and shoulders, and said a recent ordinance revision removes a previous truck‑route exemption so sheriff's deputies can better enforce truck restrictions.
Effingham County officials said the county will convert Low Ground Road from an upgraded dirt/ chip‑seal surface to a full standard roadway and is updating enforcement of truck traffic on the route.
Project scope: The county official said the existing surface is an upgraded dirt road with fly ash and chip seal. The rebuild will include 10 inches of soil‑cement and 3 inches of asphalt, widening travel lanes from about 9 feet to 11 feet, adding 2‑foot paved shoulders plus 4‑foot unpaved shoulders, and expanding the right‑of‑way from about 40 feet to 100 feet to accommodate the new standard. “It’s going to be a substantial improvement … and the ability to drain the road will also be greatly improved,” the county official said.
Right‑of‑way and timeline: The county expects right‑of‑way acquisitions to begin in August (year not specified in transcript) and reported a conservative construction start date of February 2027. Officials said temporary chip‑seal repairs are being applied now as a “band‑aid” until full construction begins.
Truck enforcement and ordinance changes: Residents noted frequent dump‑truck traffic and unsafe use of the road as a cut‑through. The county official said Low Ground Road is a county‑owned road and not designated as a truck route; county policy allows trucks only when origin/destination are on the road. The presenter told residents the county recently amended the county truck ordinance to eliminate a previous “shortest‑distance” exemption that truck drivers and carriers used to justify cut‑throughs, and said the change should make enforcement by the sheriff’s office more effective. County staff said they will provide a reporting mechanism (app/email) for residents to log truck violations so the sheriff’s office can follow up.
Ending: Officials said the rebuild and stricter enforcement should reduce truck use and improve safety, but noted acquisition of rights‑of‑way and construction will take time.
