Thurmon Tanner Parkway's contractor is working on final tasks toward the new road's completion, including eventually adding traffic signals involving decorative mast arms.

Gary's Grading and Pipeline Co. of Monroe has "got to put together some more plans and ... drawings of what the new mast arms supporting the traffic signals will look like, and (then) get us a time frame, costs and all that," said Teri Pope, spokeswoman at the Georgia Department of Transportation's Gainesville office.

The DOT had projected a Dec. 31 completion, but when that didn't occur, a meeting took place between the DOT, contractor and Oakwood.

"We're working through a supplemental agreement to negotiate a new completion date," Pope said. "It is moving forward with the contractor and the city to make sure we get the best project for everybody - not just that it is up to state standards but is also what the city of Oakwood wants."

In addition to the traffic signals, "we are concerned with temperatures because we have a lot of paving to get done," Pope said.

This week's weather, as predicted, won't help move the project along. Rain and temperatures dropping into the 40s are in the forecast.

The 1.3-mile stretch between Plainview and Mundy Mill roads is the final piece in an overall effort to build a four-lane road that runs parallel to Interstate 985. In its final form, Thurmon Tanner will run from Phil Niekro Boulevard in Flowery Branch to Atlanta Highway at Exit 17 and I-985 near Oakwood.

Traffic lights are planned at Plainview and Oakwood roads. A traffic light is now in place at Mundy Mill Road.

The new road is intended to help relieve I-985 but also kick-start commercial and industrial development between Oakwood and Flowery Branch, as well as revive some already developed areas.

With the decorative touches, "we're trying to match up with our Oakwood 2030 architectural guidelines," City Manager Stan Brown said. "... We have to pay the difference for the (modification)."

The Oakwood 2030 plan is a long-range vision for public-private development around the downtown area.
The project is costing about $16 million, with the state paying close to $7 million and the city paying about $9 million.

The city's portion involves special purpose local option sales tax money and some aid from Hall County.

"The bulk of it was out of our general fund," Brown said.