House demolition clears way for Macon road project

For nearly 50 years Macon resident Jessie Green has witnessed traffic backups and car accidents near the Hollingsworth Road and Log Cabin Drive intersection.

As a house that sits on a hill at the intersection was being demolished Thursday, Green said that for a long time she didn't believe the Log Cabin road project would actually happen.

Green lives across the street from what she describes as a dangerous intersection where people sometimes drive into a ditch to avoid hitting other vehicles along the narrow portion of the road.

Not only do drivers face trouble along Log Cabin Drive, but people walking across the street also dodge hazards.

"This is something I thought I would never see," Green said about the road project that's been discussed by government leaders for more than 20 years.

Thursday's house demolition clears the way for changes to Hollingsworth and Log Cabin that includes a new turning lane. Other planned improvements involve widening Log Cabin, adding new pedestrian bridge and sidewalks, and repairing the Rocky Creek bridge. New curb and gutter also will be installed.

"I'm pleased that we're making progress and this demolition actually served two purposes," Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert said. "No. 1, we got rid of a blighted abandoned house, and No. 2 it helps to realign the intersection with Hollingsworth and Log Cabin, which has been a dangerous intersection."

There is $1.5 million in special purpose local option sales tax money set aside for the street improvements. Macon-Bibb County is now accepting bid proposals that will be presented to the County Commission before the project officially kicks off.

Once those bids come in, the county will have a better idea of how much the total project will cost.

"We'll (then) figure out where to go within that budget or find additional funds to complete it," said Macon-Bibb spokesman Chris Floore.

Commissioner Al Tillman said he's glad to see the changes coming to Log Cabin Drive and to the nearby project Filmore Thomas Recreation Center where a groundbreaking will likely take place in the upcoming weeks. The Bellevue neighborhood park will get new walking trails, pavilions, basketball courts, a splash pad and parking.

"This is a campaign promise that I can say came to fruition," Tillman said Thursday while standing on Hollingsworth. "Today with the SPLOST money, people can see that this project is beginning to take shape."

Another government official, former Macon City Councilman Frank Tompkins, was also a proponent of making changes along Log Cabin Drive.

To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623 or find him on Twitter@stan_telegraph.

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 5:32 PM with the headline "House demolition clears way for Macon road project ."