Effingham County reviews draft Master Transportation Plan, highlights freight routes and roundabout strategy

Jonathan Holm, Effingham County engineer, presented the draft Effingham County Master Transportation Plan in a June 17 work session and asked the Board of Commissioners for comment ahead of a planned July follow-up workshop. "This is kind of a plan to help guide the county ... to make a wiser decision or a more informed decision with some data," Holm said, adding the document is intended as a flexible guide rather than a binding mandate.

The draft updates the county’s freight-route network to reflect recent designations such as Bluejay Road, Sand Hill and portions of McCall Road and shows proposed new roads including an extension of Effingham Parkway. Holm said the plan identifies both intersection improvements and larger network projects, and includes a prioritization and funding snapshot estimating engineering and construction costs. "Some of these roads are not gonna necessarily get designated as truck routes, but we are going to improve them so they can handle the freight that's already on them," Holm said, noting formal truck‑route designations require Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) approval.

Consultants who contributed to the draft stressed the plan includes new road classifications, pavement and asset-management guidance and a multimodal review that covers trucks and other modes. The plan’s project list and maps identify specific improvement candidates: a realignment of Old River Road tied to the Jabez Jones extension, a proposed bridge over the Ogeechee (referred to in the presentation as the “bridge over the Yaguchi”), Lowground Road connector projects, and four‑laning of Old Augusta Road to Logistics Parkway. The draft also includes a pavement management plan and implementation appendix with more granular timing and costs.

Commissioners and staff focused discussion on several topics: how the draft differs from the previous plan, when projects would be completed, and coordination with GDOT studies such as the US‑80 widening and the I‑16 corridor work. Commissioner questions prompted staff to confirm specific items: Gateway Parkway is expected to be connected to Hodgesville before the next school year and several roundabouts are under design or construction, including ones tied to developer funding at Logistics Parkway and General Way. Holm said some contested project timelines could be 2027–2029 for construction of later phases, and he promised to circulate a detailed timeline after the meeting.

The draft highlights a larger roundabout program across the county. Holm and consultants described roundabouts as a safety‑focused tool that can reduce fatal crash risk even though they usually carry higher total crash counts; some early rounds are being front‑funded by developers with county participation anticipated for later widening. Holm told commissioners the plan includes revised typical road sections (urban/local versions and low‑volume standards) and will add ADT thresholds to classify when a road should be upgraded.

Holm said the county will present cost estimates and a final draft at a follow-up workshop in July; staff will incorporate commissioners’ edits ahead of a planned adoption process. No formal actions were taken at the work session.