One study has been finished on a major Hall County road project, while another is about to crank up.
Hall County has completed an engineering study on the long-discussed Sardis Connector, with comments received on that project from the Georgia Department of Transportation.
The DOT confirmed what the county already knew about the project.
"We have significant (traffic) volume on Ga. 60 and significant volume on Ga. 53, and there is a need there for a connection between those two roads," said engineer Jody Woodall, referring to Thompson Bridge Road and Dawsonville Highway, respectively.
"And right now, all the alternates are less than ideal for the amount of traffic going through there."
The Sardis Connector has been discussed for years as a key artery running through northwest Hall, which is dotted with several neighborhoods and schools, including Chestatee High School.
The western tip of Sardis was widened between Dawsonville Highway and Chestatee Road several years ago.
The four-lane road is projected to connect with Ga. 60 at Mount Vernon Road between the Kroger-anchored shopping center and Corinth Baptist Church, according to maps on the Gainesville-Hall Metropolitan Planning Organization's website.
The county has several time-consuming steps to go before construction, including completion of an environmental study, preliminary designs and right-of-way plans.
Woodall said the county would like to move into right-of-way acquisition in fiscal 2013, which begins in July 2012. The bulk of right-of-way money is to come in fiscal 2014 and 2015.
"We're shooting for meeting that schedule," Woodall said.
The county's 1-percent special purpose local option sales tax has $45 million set aside for major road projects, including Sardis.
Another of the projects on that list is the widening of Spout Springs Road from Atlanta Highway in Flowery Branch to the county line in Braselton.
Hall County has contracted with STV/Ralph Whitehead Associates, which has offices nationwide, including Duluth, as the design consultant on the project.
"We're looking to have a project kick-off meeting probably about the middle of next month ... and really get the project cranked (up) and start our data collection and other information we need (for) the concept," Woodall said.
Traffic counts and accident studies will be part of the work, as well as "beginning to identify potential environmental resources, whether they are historical properties ... or archaeological sites, anything like that," he added.
The county has made some temporary improvements to the busy residential and commercial road, including adding center turn lanes and a traffic signal at Elizabeth Lane.