Ice forming on the roads as temperatures drop
Community, weather February 7, 2020
UNION COUNTY, Ga – After the early morning snows and falling temperatures, roads are beginning to turn icy around Blood Mountain and Sunrise Grocery.
Reports of vehicles sliding off the road on Hwy 129/19 South. Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is in route to apply salt to the area. Please exercise caution if on the road. UPDATE: At 11 a.m., Commissioner Lamar Paris stated roads were clear on Facebook, but to use caution. The pavement temperature at Neals Gap was 34 degrees.
Union County Schools are closed for the day.
National Weather Service (NWS) expects “a slight chance of flurries before 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37 degrees. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.” By nightfall, NWS predicts it will be partly cloudy with a high around 27 degrees and westerly winds of 5 to 10 mph.
On Saturday, residents should anticipate:
“A slight chance of snow showers before 8 a.m., then a chance of rain and snow showers between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., then a chance of rain showers after 10 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44 degrees. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.”
Luckily, the sun will be back on Sunday, Feb. 9, and temperatures will return to the mid-50s and low 40s.
Stay stay if venturing outside of your home today and try to stay warm!
Widening 515 Requires City to Move Water and Sewer Lines
News August 7, 2019
Blairsville, Ga – Blairsville City Council approved EMI engineers preliminary evaluations costs to reevaluate water and sewer locations due to the expansion of Hwy 515.
GDOT will only supplement existing lines. It won’t assist in the expansion of water or sewer services. Currently, sewer stops at the Sears building and water ends at Bowling Gap.
“The only restitution from DOT, whatever we get it will only be to supplement what size lines we have in the ground now,” “We’re proposing to place a 10-inch sewer line on up through there.”
A meeting with EMI with utility aid from GDOT will be held on August 12 of the month to go over the plan. GDOT’s trying to develop a plan that removes responsibility from state organization for new water and sewer lines. However, the city will still have to move lines whether it’s in GDOTs right of way or not.
Councilmember Mary Ruth Cook asked, “Have they made any recommendations about extending sewer or water lines?”
Cook wanted to know if sewer and water lines would extend from Sears and Bowling Gap.
The bill presented focused on preliminary professional services for review of DOT widening plan and preparation for widening costs of the project. EMI charged the city $6,510 for 65 hours of work from June 1 to 30 for three members of their staff. The services included preliminary engineering, review of DOT widening plans, preparation of cost estimates, preparation of DOT Utility Aid Application, and attending DOT meetings.
“When they widen the Young Harris Highway, and that land becomes more business-friendly, and businesses start developing that area, are we going to increase the water line, sewer line on up through there? Is that something’s that projected for the future?” inquired Cook.
Conley responded, “I don’t see a lot of additional businesses getting any further than those that are there now, but if they did and they came to the city, then the city could offer that service. In other words, it would cost them to bring a line to where our sewer line ends at this time.”
Currently, it’s just too far to run a line, and the city doesn’t see the need at this time.
New Airport Hangar Door
City purchased a new hangar door for the airport and paid for it with lease money from current tenants.
The purchase totaled at $30,038 with the door costing $13,098 and installation cost being $16,940. Hangar lease money covered all but $230 of the purchase, which came out of the airport’s budget.
Originally, the lease extension money paid for the new fuel funds and the leftover amount covered the cost of the new door.
“This is a beautiful thing,” exclaimed Airport Manager Aaron Mannheim, “It’s been a safety issue for a number of years I believe, it’s almost like a death march when you open the door. So this has greatly improved safety at the airport. I want to say thanks to Mayor Conley and his attention to safety for all.”
The hanger never replaced the original door from the 1960s.
“The door in that old first hangar that was ever built, sometime in the 60s. It’s made out of real metal. It became a very dangerous thing. It took two people to get it open. Now, it’s a bevel type door and takes one person to get it open,” said Conley.
Additionally, the council approved a three-year service plan for airport electronics and software equipment for $5,386.50. The service addresses equipment and software upkeep.
“It feeds information to Aaron when someone pumps gas, or he pumps gas on the Jet A tank,” stated Conley, “This company charges us every year.”
GDOT Purchases Land to Widen Hwy. 515
Police & Government July 24, 2019
Blairsville, Ga – Commissioner Lamar Paris discussed purchase and settlement with GDOT to expand Hwy. 515/76 between Blairsville and Young Harris.
The widening of Hwy 515 from Blairsville to Young Harris took another step forward with GDOT officially purchasing Land Lots 269 and 270 for $450,000. The 1.264 acres runs along Hwy. 515 and to the right of the Farmer’s Market.
“This county property purchased almost two years ago as part of the Davenport property, and some of it happened to be a really nice piece right on the highway,” stated Paris, “I think we bought 11 acres for $767,000 give or take 10 or 20K.”
Commissioner Lamar Paris spoke on GDOT’s plan to widen 515 from Blairsville to Young Harris.
Paris also bestowed 0.076 acres at the Glenn Gooch By-Pass and Hwy. 515 intersection to GDOT for the road expansion. He explained the donation was a thank you to GDOT for their speedy work and assistance with the Farmer’s Market Way Road.
“We really hated to lose this one acre right on the highway, but it really reduced the amount of money we had in [initial purchase],” said Paris.
The initial purchase of the property came from the General Fund, and once the settlement comes through the $450,000 will transfer back into that account.
County Improvements
Additionally, Paris addressed improvements ongoing throughout the county.
The parking lot for the new recreation center complex on the Glenn Gooch By-Pass is near completion, and building construction should begin within the next 30 days.
“We’re beginning construction of Pickleball courts,” explained Paris, “We’re finally adding eight pickleball courts behind the Health Department. We began the grading, and we’ll have a specialty company come in to pave the surface because it has to be too exacting standards.”
New addition and pad for Fire Station completed.
Curb on Pat Colwell Rd expanded and Roads Department working on roads around the county.
“Our Road Department is completing patching miles and miles of county roads and will begin resurfacing some of those and paving others. We hope to have complete in 45 days,” Paris said.
New Meek’s Park sign installed and active along Hwy. 515.
New Meeks Park sign up and running for Union County residents.
“It’s pretty awesome. Landscaping will be finished next week. This will be an electronic sign, aside from being big and impressive looking, it will really be able to give information to the public,” stated Paris.
GDOT Pleads for Safe Back to School Driving in Northwest Georgia
Announcements August 5, 2019
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Put your phone away and just drive: Hands-Free cell phone use is now the law drivers in Georgia
Press Release July 2, 2018Hands-Free cell phone use is law
Drive Alert Arrive Alive, Georgia!
CARTERSVILLE, Ga.—Just put down the phone and DRIVE! Hands-free cell phone use is now the law for drivers in Georgia. The Hands-Free Law (House Bill 673; Hands-Free Georgia Act), which went into effect on July 1, requires hands-free technology when drivers use cell phones and other electronic devices. Among other things, it is illegal for a driver to hold a phone in their hand or to use their body to support a phone. Penalties range from $50 and one point on a license for the first conviction to $150 and three points for the third and subsequent convictions.
Read Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) The EXTRA MILE blog post – Hands-Free Means Big Changes for the Better in Georgia – by guest author Robert Hydrick of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). For additional information on the many facets of the law, visit http://www.headsupgeorgia.com/
“I am optimistic that Georgia’s new Hands-Free law will save lives,” GDOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry. P.E. said. “I also want to emphasize how crucial it is for drivers and passengers to buckle up. Seatbelts truly save lives.”
Through its Drive Alert Arrive Alive campaign, GDOT has, for several years, called attention to an alarming surge in fatalities on Georgia’s roads after a decade of reductions. Many of these deaths are preventable. The campaign implores motorists to focus on driving, to not drive distracted and to wear a seatbelt to reduce the chance of serious injury or death if there is a crash. Visitwww.dot.ga.gov/DAAA.
While GDOT reports that, as of June 28, 2018, overall roadway fatalities are down 10 percent in Georgia from the same time last year, pedestrian deaths are up 22 percent. GDOT’s See & Be Seen campaign, the pedestrian component of Drive Alert Arrive Alive, emphasizes that pedestrian safety is a shared responsibility between motorists and pedestrians. Visit www.dot.ga.gov/SBS.
Summer construction roadwork is underway across Georgia. Before you get on the road, call 511 or visit www.511ga.org for real-time information about active construction, incidents and road conditions.Pay extra attention in work zones – slow down and watch for workers. Work zone safety is everybody’s responsibility.
Gooch: Senate Gets Down to Business
State & National January 22, 2018
Senate Gets Down to BusinessBy: Sen. Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega) Although the Senate was in session for only two days this week, my colleagues and I were very busy under the Gold Dome addressing budget proposals and a key piece of legislation on the Senate Floor. The week started with Joint Senate and House Appropriations hearings on the Amended FY18 and General FY19 budgets. Governor Deal kicked off the hearings which included several different agencies presenting their budget proposals. I am happy to say that the state’s budget continues to be in good shape, with the General FY19 budget topping $26 billion for the first time. The General FY19 budget proposals were drafted with an estimated 2.9 percent state fund growth and around 3.8 percent tax revenue growth over the Amended FY18 revenue estimates. Included in the General FY19 budget are increases in funding for education and transportation. The General FY19 budget addresses the needs for the state to meet determined employer contributions within the Teachers Retirement System with a proposed increase of around $364 million. Additionally, around $120 million would be appropriated for enrollment growth and training. Along with these positive changes in the General FY19 budget, an important proposal in the Amended FY18 budget is adding $15 million to purchase 194 school buses statewide. This will positively impact our students by ensuring that buses are not overcrowded. The state’s growing need to address transportation infrastructure is also addressed in the General FY19 budget. An additional $31.6 million in projected revenues resulting from House Bill 170 – passed during the 2015 Legislation Session – will be added to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) budget. I am very happy to see that a piece of legislation we passed a couple of years ago is still making positive impacts for GDOT. Along with attending the budget hearings and carefully reviewing the proposals for the Amended FY18 and General FY19 budgets, my colleagues and I took up a very important piece of legislation in Senate Chamber. On Thursday, the Senate passed the Supporting and Strengthening Families Act, also known as the Adoption Bill, or HB 159. This bill passed with bipartisan support and is now headed over to the House of Representatives for their review. Final passage of this legislation and a signature into law by the Governor would allow our state to update our adoption system which has been the same for nearly 30 years. The Senate’s version of HB 159 clarifies many of the laws regarding who can adopt, who can act as a legal guardian and the rights held by the biological parents before and after giving their child up for adoption. Additionally, the version the Senate passed on Thursday states that if an agency is not involved in a private adoptive process, living expenses cannot be paid. The only expenses that can be paid in a private adoption are medical and counseling. These are just some of the highlights of the Senate version of HB 159. As this legislation moves through the legislative process, my colleagues and I will work with the Governor and House of Representatives to ensure there is cooperation to address concerns anyone may have. It is imperative that we pass this legislation so that we can assist the large number of children who are in foster care and need a loving and stable home. The pace of the session is going to pick up quickly with standing committees beginning to hold meetings next week to vet legislation pending from last year along with new bills introduced this year. As we move forward in the session, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions, concerns and feedback. It is always great to hear from my constituents and our door is always open. |
Georgia DOT Contracts Awarded for Senate District 51
Press Release January 25, 2017
Press Release
Contact: Ines Owens, Acting Director
[email protected]
404.656.0028
Georgia DOT Contracts Awarded for Senate District 51
ATLANTA (January 25, 2017) | The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) awarded approximately $8.6 million for road projects in Senate District 51 as part of a $54 million statewide construction and maintenance upgrade. Projects for Senate District 51 were announced as part of the 2016 November and December awards.
“Maintenance and upgrades for existing roads continue to be a critical issue for our local communities,” said Senator Steve Gooch(R – Dahlonega). “I commend GDOT for acknowledging the needs within our community and awarding projects to Senate District 51. These projects will increase safety, decrease congestion and ensure that existing infrastructure needs are met.”
Dawson County was awarded a project totaling around $3.8 million. This funding will go toward construction of a roundabout on State Route 53 at State Route 183. The anticipated completion date for this project is May 31, 2018.
A project totaling around $4.5 million was awarded to address approximately 53 miles of plant mix resurfacing and surface treatment paving at five locations across Fannin and Pickens Counties. These upgrades will be completed by November 30, 2017. Along with this award, Pickens County was awarded an additional project totaling $292,243. This project will increase safety throughout the county by funding signing and pavement marking upgrades at railroad crossing location throughout the county. The anticipated completion date for these projects is May 31, 2018.
Information on schedules, lane closures and detours will be made available on the Georgia DOT Website in advance of construction activities.
Details on all projects awarded can be found through the Award Announcement Downloads link at https://www.bidx.com/ga/letting?lettingid=16052001. Click on Award Announcement on the right.
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Sen. Steve Gooch serves as Majority Whip of the Senate Majority Caucus. He represents the 51st Senate District which includes Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Union and White counties and portions of Forsyth and Pickens counties. He may be reached at 404.656.9221 or via email at [email protected].