Commission Sets Time Line For Malcom Bridge Road Construction

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to move forward with construction of roundabouts for the entrances to Malcom Bridge Middle School and to send a time line for construction to the Board of Education.

The vote was in response to action taken by the Board of Education at its meeting on April 15.

The Board of Education had granted to the county rights of way and easements for construction of the roundabouts but only on the condition that the Commission act first to officially approve the project and that it guarantee that the work would be completed by the beginning of the school year.

The time line lists a “tentative completion date” of Aug. 1, or ahead of the Aug. 7 beginning of classes, but Board Chair John Daniell said it is not possible to really “assure” completion of a construction project of this type.

The Tuesday night action technically only applied to the bus entrance to the middle school, as the county does not yet have final details on the roundabout for the parent entrance. Daniell said he expected that work to move even more quickly.

In other action, the Board gave tentative approval to a $225,000 memorandum of understanding with W&A Engineering for design work for an extension of Bishop Farms Parkway from its current terminus at the University of North Georgia to New High Shoals Road.

For details of the discussion of the two road projects, with a video of the entire meeting, please go to Oconee County Observations.