FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County is applying for a $25 million grant to help widen Keith Bridge Road between Ga. 400 and Parks Road, a project aimed at relieving congestion for more than 22,000 daily drivers.
At a work session Feb. 6, the County Commission unanimously voted to apply for the U.S. Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Discretionary Grant. Commissioner Todd Levent was absent.
Local governments can use the RAISE grant to finance infrastructure projects that may be difficult to fund through other DOT grants. The grant requires a 20 percent match, but County Manager David McKee said the funding source of the $5 million match has yet to be determined.
If the county receives the grant money, McKee said staff will work with the Georgia Department of Transportation to determine the exact split.
Capital Project Manager Jordan Wallace said the county has not completed a final design of the widening, but there is a finished concept report from 2020.
The county plans to widen the two-lane road to four lanes. Initial design also calls for 5-foot-wide sidewalks, shared-use bike lanes and a raised median.
GDOT estimated annual average daily traffic on the stretch at 22,700 in 2022.
Original plans called for adding lanes between Browns Bridge Road and Ga. 400. But, County Communications Director Russell Brown said if the county receives the RAISE funds, Ga. 306 will be widened from Ga. 400 to Parks Road.
The overall cost of the widening, including design, right-of-way acquisition, utilities and construction, is estimated at $47.9 million.
If the U.S. DOT approves the grant application, the county will receive the funds no later than June 27.
Also at the meeting, commissioners approved some $176,000 in parks improvements on the Big Creek Greenway and for the Central Park Recreation…
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