Bishop Bypass No Longer Being Considered, GDOT Officials Said At Oconee Meeting

The Georgia Department of Transportation is proposing that U.S. 441 be widened to three lanes through the center of Bishop rather than build a bypass of the small Oconee County city.

GDOT also is proposing that the highway be widened to four lanes from Bishop north to Watkinsville and from Bishop south to Madison following the alignment of the existing roadway.

GDOT released the proposed route tonight (Tuesday) at the first meeting of the Oconee County Citizen Advisory Committee, where it met with strong opposition from Bishop Mayor Johnny Pritchett and Farmington resident Buddy Murrow, both members of the Citizen Advisory Committee.

Pritchett and Murrow said they want a bypass of Bishop, but Bruce Anderson, GDOT project manager, said no plans for a bypass are being considered at this time.

For more on this story, go to Oconee County Observations.

Pictured: Committee reviewing maps.