Big roundabout could be coming to busy Bibb intersection

The Macon-Bibb County Commission is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a resolution for a roundabout that transportation officials say may be installed at a busy south Bibb intersection.

The Seven Bridges area — the intertwining intersection of Ga. 247 and various other state highways — is the site of a potential roundabout that would be built by the Georgia Department of Transportation. The agency is asking Macon-Bibb officials to approve a letter of support and to cover maintenance and landscaping costs if the roundabout is built.

The roundabout would aim to improve safety around the six-lane divided highway and Ga. 247, which is the major artery connecting Macon with Robins Air Force Base. Other major roads around the intersection include Houston Road, Houston Avenue, Pio Nono Avenue and Broadway.

The resolution of support is on Tuesday’s commission agenda. Last week, DOT presented options of different versions of roundabouts. Commissioners previously stalled the measure in 2016 in order to get more information about the safety of a roundabout.

A multilane roundabout is being suggested by the DOT as the best option, which Commissioner Larry Schlesinger said could be beneficial for the intersection. It would, however, likely mean a learning curve for many drivers using it.

“There’s actually an art to driving a multilane roundabout,” he said. “I know from my experience living in Washington, D.C., that they are traffic calming, and that’s what the DOT is looking at for that particular intersection.”

The intersection has had a high number of rear-end collisions — 70 from 2011 to 2015 — and seven fatal wrecks during that time frame, a transportation study said.

The study also said that a horizontal realignment was also considered at the intersection, but it was not as cost efficient.

Naming rights

A construction company could hold the naming rights to a section of Central City Park.

ICB Construction Group is offering to cover the costs of four scoreboards for multipurpose recreation fields and a monument sign at the park. In return the company’s name and logo would be placed on the sign and scoreboards for 10 years, according to the agreement.

The County Commission is expected to vote on the resolution at Tuesday’s meeting.

About $3.7 million in special sales tax revenue was used to refurbish Central City. The Willie Smokie Glover Drive park has a new skate park, sidewalks, recreation fields and more.

In other business Tuesday, commissioners are set to vote on:

▪  An amendment that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to an anti-discrimination section of the county’s charter regarding employment, appointments and promotions.

▪  $2.3 million in improvements to Freedom Park that include a new four-field, wagon-wheel design softball complex with a concession stand and restrooms and a new splash pad. The project would be paid for with proceeds from the 2012 special purpose local option sales tax.

▪  $300,000 in blight bond money for a construction agreement to update the Kings Park Community Center.

This story was originally published April 17, 2017 at 6:12 PM with the headline "Big roundabout could be coming to busy Bibb intersection."