Macon-Bibb County will break ground on Tuesday, November 17, at 11:30 a.m. for the next phase of the Second Street Corridor Connector construction. This phase will cost $1.7 million and start at the realigned Edgewood Avenue and end where the Connector will later be built over the railroad.

The work consists of improving the storm drainage system, installing a 20” waterline to serve Navicent Health, constructing the road and shared sidewalks, and installing new lighting. During construction, First Street from Edgewood Avenue to Elm Street will be closed and eventually rerouted, and the at grade crossing on Elm Street will be permanently closed. (See below map.)

“We are making steady progress on connecting the different areas of our urban core with each other and the rest of the county with a more pedestrian and bike friendly road,” says Mayor Robert Reichert.

“We are building much more than a road,” says Chris Sheridan with Chris R. Sheridan & Compan. “We are building connections between several areas of town that will bring the community together and enhance economic activity and civic life.”

The first phase of the Connector – which cost $2,050,000 and improved Little Richard Penniman Boulevard and realigned its intersection with Telfair Street – reopened to vehicular and pedestrian traffic on August 20. Click here to watch a feature video from MaconBibbTV about this milestone event in the ongoing redevelopment and revitalization of the city.

About the Second Street Corridor
The Second Street Corridor project was started with funding from the voter-approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). Eight million dollars was designated to improve the area that stretches from East Macon through Downtown, connecting to Little Richard Penniman and Mercer University Boulevards, and creating gateways into Macon-Bibb at either end. Long-term, Macon-Bibb County wants to extend the Corridor further west along Mercer University Boulevard to the Macon Mall and Middle Georgia State College.

Last December, Macon-Bibb County reopened the block of Second Street between Cherry and Poplar Streets as a Vision Block for the Corridor to show people what will the entire street will look like. It features bike lanes, reverse angle parking, landscaping, shade trees, benches, improved sidewalks, an irrigation system, and more. In addition to the work being completed with SPLOST funds, Georgia Power, Atlanta Gas Light, and the Macon Water Authority used this opportunity to upgrade and improve its electrical system to meet the growth taking place Downtown. Click here for a MaconBibbTV feature on the Vision Block.

As a part of the redevelopment plan for Second Street as a “complete street,” a transit alternative for connecting east and west Macon needed to be identified that could serve as a backbone to a larger regional system. Long-discussed as a fixed light rail system connecting the different areas, another alternative is currently being explored: an electric bus system.

In late February, a team from Macon-Bibb County, the Macon Transit Authority, and Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) visited Tallahassee, FL, and StarMetro – the city’s public transit provider – to learn more about its electric bus system. In August 2013, it was the first transit agency on the east coast to deploy electric buses, and those buses are now 5% of its fleet) and serve a fixed 18-mile route. Click here to read more about the visit and this alternative.

Macon-Bibb County is currently developing Mid-City Square, a new park located at the intersection of Second and Pine Streets. Several of the properties have been purchased and the buildings have been torn down to make way for new greenspace. Also, work is set to begin soon on the creation of Pinnacle Park on Second Street in the Tindall Heights neighborhood. Located on the site of the former Boys and Girls Club, it will be a passive park with trails, benches, landscaping, and a great view of Downtown.

Using Tax Allocation District bond funding, Macon-Bibb will be building a signature pedestrian bridge over Mercer University Drive that will serve as a gateway into the city. Its construction is helping bring almost $50 million in investment to the Tindall Heights area.

About the Forward Together Strategic Plan
The redevelopment and revitalization of the Second Street Corridor is a major project in Macon-Bibb County’s Forward Together Strategic Plan and is included in the Infrastructure Improvement Strategic Focus Area, while the Vision Block is a part of Safe Neighborhoods and Safe Neighborhoods Area. The creation of greenspace and parks (including MidCity Square and Pinnacle Park) will improve the Quality of Life for residents, visitors, and employees all along the Corridor. In September 2015, the City-County Communications & Marketing Association awarded Macon-Bibb County

In January 2014, Macon-Bibb County began working with the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government to develop the first Forward Together Strategic Plan. This process lasted more than a year and involved multiple retreats, work sessions, and meetings with department heads, organizations, and stakeholders. The planning process was funded with a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

This process helped develop the consolidated government’s new Mission and Vision statements, as well as identify five Strategic Focus areas that are helping focus service delivery, programs, and initiatives: Economic and Community Development; Safe Neighborhoods and Safe Communities; Efficient and Effective Government; Infrastructure Improvement; and Quality of Life.

The new Strategic Plan was the driving force behind the development of the proposed FY2016 budget, which included full implementation of the new pay scale, elimination of double taxation, and a capital improvement program focused on strategic projects.