Columbia County says Furys Ferry roundabout progressing; manager estimates functionality early next year, final work in 2026

Hallie Turner, community engagement specialist for Columbia County, visited the Furys Ferry construction corridor and spoke with Kelly McDaniel, the project manager, about progress on a five‑year road improvement that includes a new roundabout at the Hardy McManus intersection.

McDaniel said crews are working on curb and gutter, sidewalks, driveways, storm drainage and pedestrian crossings along miles 1–4 of the corridor. She said a separate Columbia County project is installing a traffic signal at Blackstone Kemp Road; that signal is being handled independently of the Furys Ferry contract.

"So the things that we are currently working on are a curb and gutter, sidewalk, driveways. We're still installing storm. We're doing, pedestrian crossings," McDaniel said. She said much of the multi‑use path is complete up to the roundabout and that paved shoulder work will continue to the river. McDaniel also noted retaining walls are in place and said residents have given positive feedback on the sidewalks, paths and walls.

To speed the schedule, county crews now include both day and night shifts. McDaniel said there are four night crews operating across the four mile segments and that night work increases total productivity beyond a single 8–10 hour day shift.

On construction sequencing, McDaniel said crews are completing exterior portions of the roundabout first to allow traffic to be routed around the outside perimeter before crews finish the center. "Upcoming in the next 2 to 3 weeks, we should have the materials coming in for the outer perimeters," she said, listing baskets, wire and stamped concrete as materials that will arrive for paving and finishing.

When Turner asked why a roundabout was chosen for the Hardy McManus intersection, McDaniel referenced traffic studies: "We've found that the roundabouts that we're all actually installing in Columbia County is working a lot better than the red lights will. And it it achieves a lot lot fluent more fluent of a traffic pattern." She said this will be the only roundabout on Furys Ferry at Hardy McManus and that it connects to a separate Hardy McManus project that plans three additional roundabouts on that road.

McDaniel said the roundabout design will include a turn lane to help traffic accessing a nearby school and reduce queuing on the existing lanes. On timing, McDaniel estimated the roundabout could be "done and functional by the first of the year" and said full construction would be complete in 2026.

The Furys Ferry corridor project began in 2021, McDaniel said, and remains active across multiple simultaneous work zones. Columbia County did not provide additional schedule or contract‑award details during the recorded segment.