Road improvements, construction for Sewon underway in Effingham County
More infrastructure improvements are set to take place in Effingham County.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg approved the $200,000 Safe Streets and Roads Grant (SS4A), a program created to prevent serious injuries and deaths on the road. The funds will go towards the county’s Greenway Trail Action Plan, which was designed to ensure a safe spaces for pedestrians.
“I think it’s really important,” said Effingham County Commissioner Jamie DeLoach, who represents District 3. “I’ve had a lot of people ask me about bike trails throughout the community in different districts. I think this will be an opportunity where we can actually have the money to put together a proper plan for bike trails. This will be something to add to our recreation program that will be good for the community.”
SS4A grants support communities that do not have a roadway safety plan or want to build upon an existing one.
“It’s the action plan grant, so basically we are saying that we have this vision (for trails) and what are the actions that we need to identify, follow up and make it a reality,” said Ryan Thompson, Land Planning/Landscape Architecture Manager for Thomas and Hutton. “It will be a countywide plan.”
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In Guyton, residents will have an additional 1.5 miles of sidewalk to connect them to schools, communities and businesses thanks to the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Grant through the GDOT. The funds will go towards the planning and designing of the system.
Mayor Russ Deen said anything to ease the commute for pedestrians is a win for Guyton.
“We are at the intersection of two state highways,” said Deen. “A significant amount of commerce traffic goes through and keeping people from not having to walk on the street is important. You have to have walkability. We want to be safe. We don't want folks to have to walk on roads or beside roads without a paved path. These sidewalks will potentially save lives.”
Up the road in Rincon, construction on the Sewon America manufacturing plant is already underway. The auto parts maker will invest $300 million for the facility that will bring more than 700 jobs to the area. They join a growing list of suppliers coming to the region to support the Hyundai plant. Production is slated to begin in 2025.
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Effingham County to see road improvements through federal grant
