County lists road projects and GDOT timelines; residents press for clarity on 316 corridor closures and school crossings

County officials reviewed a range of county and Georgia Department of Transportation projects affecting Oconee County and provided estimated timelines for several large projects during the town hall.

County staff said the Snows Mill at Lane Creek roundabout is substantially complete, and that utility relocation is underway for the Newhouse Shoals at Union Church Road roundabout. Several other county projects remain in concept design or utility coordination, including Cole Spring/Snows Mill/Acuff Road, More Morris Ford at Lane Creek, and State Route 53 at Cold Springs and Klotfelter. A signal replacement at Atlanta Highway and Burson Avenue in Bogart is underway, pending final railroad right‑of‑way work, county staff said.

For joint projects with GDOT, the county official listed multiple timelines: construction has started at Jimmy Daniel Road (estimated completion 2028), other projects such as the April-to‑Bishop corridor currently show 2028 construction, and the county said some projects (for example, a Bishop bypass) do not yet have a schedule. County staff also mentioned an open house at Prince Avenue where GDOT will have materials and staff available and gave a time window (5 to 7 p.m.) for that event.

Residents asked specific questions about closures and pedestrian safety. Wanda Stikodis, representing the Oconee Area Resource Council, asked whether reports that the intersection of State Route 316 and the connector would be closed for 45 days were accurate. A county official responded that design and phasing remain under development and that no definitive closure plan was available.

“Do you have any clarification about that thing that I’ve heard?” Wanda Stikodis asked. The county official replied, “Not at this time… they’re still working on the final design and phasing plan.”

Dan McGee, a local resident, urged the county and state to prioritize pedestrian safety at the Bishops Crossing/E.R. Snell intersection, noting heavy use by middle‑school students who walk in the area.

“That intersection should be a priority,” McGee said, adding that schoolchildren and other pedestrians use the crossing frequently.

County staff emphasized that some GDOT schedules are subject to change and that right‑of‑way and utility negotiations affect timelines. Several projects mentioned by the county have multi‑year estimated completion windows, and officials encouraged residents to attend GDOT open houses for project‑level details.