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The Second Street Corridor project, a plan 20 years in the making according to Macon-Bibb Mayor Robert Reichert, continues.
Crews started tearing down the old hump bridge at Second Street and Little Richard Penniman Blvd. Wednesday morning as part of the project.
“Hump Day” is a term people use to refer to the middle of the work week, but this “Hump Day” had a different significance.
“With a new modern bridge that will link this new connector and tie Mercer University and I-75 into the downtown area,” Reichert said.
Related Article: Commissioner wants county involved in planning and zoning commission
Using almost $10 million of SPLOST funds, the county is changing the grand entrance into downtown.
The new corridor will connect south, west and east Macon, I-75, I-16 and hospitals to downtown.
“It makes it restaurant friendly, retail friendly, and shop friendly,” Reichert continued. “I think you’re going to see a lot happening in the next few years in downtown Macon. Especially through this south downtown approach.”
The project is getting business and restaurant owners excited with the completion on the horizon.
“I think that’s great for businesses,” Ocmulgee Brewpub Marketing Director Kaitlynn Kressin said “It increases tourism. It increases the amount of people who are walking around downtown and just that easy entrance and exit is going to be really great for the city.”
Businesses are almost over the “hump” of construction on Second Street.
“It is a bit of a challenge at times, but it’ll be worth it in the end,” Kressin said.
Reichert says the Macon Transit Authority will get two new electric buses, and the plan is to have a route on the connector between Mercer and downtown.
The project is scheduled to be complete by early January of 2020.
Take Second Street out of downtown (away from river). Navicient Hospital is on the right ( 1 block up). Cross Pine St, Oglethorpe St etc. This bridge goes over the railroad tracks. On the other side is the Little Richard Penneman Pkwy which is just Mercer University Drive extended.
When complete, one can exit 75 at Mercer Univ, drive past the South edge of campus by the football stadium and continue on the same road right into downtown via 2nd Street. Essentially, Mercer Univ. Drive will bend into 2nd completing a long desired connection.
Also like midgeorgiaman said one can exit I-75 southbound on the Mercer University Drive exit in case there is an accident in the upcoming years when the Pleasant Hill Mitigation project is completed (I-75 & I-16 split). Take a left on Mercer University Drive off the I-75 exit down pass Mercer Bear's college football stadium. Across the College Street and Mercer University Drive intersection. On to Richard Penniman Pkwy which becomes the Downtown Connector down which includes Second Street. Second Street is supposed to have a diamond interchange when the work is done with the I-75 & I-16 split.
Last edited by the tiger; 04-13-2019 at 07:47 PM..
Ah ... I always wondered why there wasn't better access to downtown from I-75. People driving through never see it.
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