Another phase of the Thomasville Community Trail project will soon be completed. The City of Thomasville’s engineering department reports that the South Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive (or “Phase 5”) portion of the project will be completed by the end of this week. “Crews began paving on South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive last week and are expected to be completed by the end of this week,” said Eve Geyer, City of Thomasville project manager. “We owe a great deal of gratitude to the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority for their grant that funded almost half of the construction costs. The City was able to complete this project early and under budget due to the grant funding that the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority provided us, and we are very thankful for that.”
The Community Trail is designed to allow pedestrians, bikers and other non-motorized methods of transport to move about safely. “Ultimately, Thomasville’s Community Trail will provide 14 miles of off-street trail system throughout the city,” said Kenny Thompson, City Planner. Beginning at The Ritz Amphitheater, the ‘inner loop’ of the trail is a five mile, eight to 10 foot wide pathway that will connect Paradise Park, Cherokee Lake, Thomasville High School, the Scholars Academy campus and MacIntyre Park, before circling back towards Thomasville’s historic downtown. “A series of spurs will branch off of this loop, providing links to destinations such as Thomas University, Remington Park, Northside Park and Weston Park.”
“The goal of the Community Trail is to connect neighborhoods to economic centers, parks, and schools,” said Thompson. “This will happen in tandem with an effort to improve our existing City parks. Each park facility will act as a gateway to the Community Trail, with some parks offering trail users a place to stop and use restroom facilities, take advantage of bicycle fix-it stations, water fountains, and other amenities. Portions of the trail, such as the South MLK connection, are already completed and have been enjoyed by many as areas for not only recreation, but also as safer walking routes to schools, parks, and other neighborhoods.” A project map that allows citizens to view the project’s progress is available on the City of Thomasville website.
In addition to trail work, the City of Thomasville’s engineering department is also beginning the 2019 SPLOST/LMIG Resurfacing Project. “Each year, we work to improve the roadways within our community,” said Todd Powell, City of Thomasville Assistant City Engineer. “The funding provided through SPLOST/LMIG allows us to enhance the scope of our annual work and expedite necessary repairs in several areas.”
The resurfacing is slated to begin during the second week of October. The contractor began work on the project at the end of September and will complete the remaining work over the next three months. The roads to be resurfaced are:
- Cairo Road between the 319 Bypass and North Boulevard
- College between Lester Street and W. Jackson Street
- Fletcher between Jones Street and Remington Avenue
- Felix Street between Burns Street and MLK Drive
- Grant Street between Park Avenue and Grady Street
The resurfacing projects will not require any road closures. Drivers are encouraged to exercise caution in the construction areas and to expect some travel delays while the work is being completed.