Macon & MCCG Partner to Improve New & Pine Streets

The City of Macon and the Medical Center of Central Georgia (MCCG) are working together to improve the roads, sidewalks, and traffic flow along Pine Street between Spring and First Streets and New Street from Pine Street to Plum Street Lane.

During construction, there will be detours and road closures in the area. The first closing will be Pine Street from Spring to New Streets. New Street will remain open, as will the section of Pine to First Streets, and traffic will be rerouted to Forsyth Street. This will begin October 15, 2012.

Currently, the road and sidewalks are in terrible shape, including broken pavement, broken sidewalks, a lack of handicapped ramps in some areas, and inadequate handicapped ramps in others. When finished, the area will feature:

• New sidewalks throughout the project area with ADA handicapped ramps;
• A median planted with trees;
• Designated loading zones located against the curb;
• Crosswalks and a pedestrian-friendly concrete improvement in the intersection of New and Pine Streets; and
• Trees on the street instead of on-street parking.

“The goal is improved access and safety for the pedestrian,” says Wimberly Treadwell, Project Manager. “There won’t be any more box trucks in the middle of the road, and medians and crosswalks will help control vehicle traffic.”

The cost of the project will be $1,035,000, and funding comes from the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax ($160,000), the MCCG ($175,000), and GDOT’s Transportation Enhancement program ($700,000).

For information about parking, the public can call 478-633-1490.
For media inquiries and interviews about the closures and detours, contact Tim Slocum at 478-633-1036.