BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE

Governor Sonny Perdue and Gena Evans, Ph.D., executive director of the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA), recently announced that SRTA has awarded the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District (CID) with a $1.5 million grant to be used toward their intersection improvement project at Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Singleton Road.

"These are projects that can move the needle on addressing traffic congestion while unlocking economic growth," said Governor Perdue. "This program is giving local communities a tool to make projects affordable and doable."

Gwinnett Village CID will be using their grant to help fund a much needed $4 million pedestrian safety and congestion relief project at the intersection of Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Singleton Road. Improvements will be funded through this SRTA grant, CID funds, Gwinnett County SPLOST revenue and federal dollars. 

The new design will include pedestrian and vehicular safety enhancements as well as congestion relief benefits at the heavily traveled intersection. When compared to the existing intersection configuration using 2032 traffic volumes, the proposed improvements will reduce overall delay experienced at the intersection by approximately 35% during the peak AM periods and approximately 48% during the peak PM periods. 

"I'm delighted to see progress on this much needed improvement project," said Georgia State Senator Curt Thompson, District 5. "This project would never have happened if these groups didn't come together to make it work from a financial standpoint." Senator Thompson continued: "The fact that you have a federal, state, county and local entity all working toward a common goal really speaks to the power of public/private partnerships."

In a 2006 Atlanta Regional Commission study, the Jimmy Carter Boulevard/Singleton Road intersection was identified as one of the most dangerous in the region. Improvements for the intersection were suggested in a 2006/2007 Livable Centers Initiative study funded by Gwinnett County. Since that time Gwinnett Village CID has been studying possible enhancements and conducting preliminary engineering.

“We've been successful in moving projects forward because of our ability to leverage our locally collected funding to attract investment from state, county and federal partners,” said Chuck Warbington, executive director for Gwinnett Village CID. “I believe those entities look favorably on projects that have the support of a local community willing to invest alongside them."

"We have been a partner with the Gwinnett Village CID on this worthwhile project for several years, and are very pleased that it has been selected to receive the grant from SRTA," said Brian Allen, director of Gwinnett County Department of Transportation. "This is yet another great example of the strength of partnerships among local, regional, state and federal entities. The much-needed project at Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Singleton Road, once completed, should greatly improve safety in this area for both pedestrians and the motor-traveling public."

The project includes construction of dedicated right turn lanes and additional left turn lanes on the north and westbound approaches. Pedestrian improvements will include construction of sidewalks, refuge islands and countdown pedestrian signals.