The improvements of Skidaway Road were included in the Chatham County Urban Transportation Study (CUTS) in 1983 and are funded as part of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. In addition, the project is a component of the Long-Range (Year 2025) Transportation Plan that was adopted by the CUTS Policy Committee in June 1999. The project has also been included in the annual Transportation Improvement Program (TIP’s) for the County.
The primary purpose for the project is to increase pedestrian and bicyclist safety and improve drainage along the roadway. Additionally, improvements to the intersections with Montgomery Cross Road, Central Avenue, Sunset Boulevard and Rowland Avenue are included within the project to help improve traffic flow in these areas and improve the safety of the intersections.
The Skidaway Road Improvement Project consists of the addition of curb and gutter, 6 to 8- foot multi-use paths and storm drainage systems for a 4.1 mile section of roadway from Ferguson Avenue north to Victory Drive.
The existing typical section has 2 to 4 11-foot lanes (one or two in each direction) with a grass shoulder. The existing drainage along the roadway consists of roadside swales along with some sections of curb and gutter. The existing right of way width varies along the project corridor.
The proposed roadway section generally consists of 2 to 4 11-foot lanes (one or two in each direction) with curb and gutter and a 6 to 8-foot multi-use path along each side of the roadway. Medians have been added at some locations to help with traffic flow of the intersection. The traffic signals will be upgraded and the intersection at Montgomery Cross Road will be redesigned to a roundabout. The proposed drainage system along the roadway will consist of curb inlets and pipes. Like the existing right of way, the proposed right of way width will vary.
Skidaway Road - Introductory Letter
Skidaway Road - Project Fact Sheet
Skidaway Road - Location Map
Will the intersection at Skidaway Rd and Montgomery Cross Rd be a roundabout or a traffic circle? There is confusion between traffic circles and roundabouts. A roundabout is typically smaller in diameter than a traffic circle. This means speeds are lower than in a traffic circle, which enhances the safety of the intersection. Additionally with a roundabout you yield on entrance to the roundabout where in a traffic circle you yield on exit from the circle. The design for that intersection will be a roundabout, similar in operation to the "Squares" in downtown Savannah.
Are there any improvements to the roadway at Central Avenue? The intersection of Central Avenue is designed to eliminate the severe existing skew angle of the intersection and to bring Central Avenue into Skidaway Road at close to a 90 degree angle. By bringing the angle of the intersection closer to 90 degrees, sight distances will be improved and left turns will be allowed from Central Avenue onto Skidaway Road. Central Avenue will have a dedicated lane for turning left onto Skidaway Road and another lane that will handle the thru and right turn movements. The intersection has been designed to accommodate school buses and a future traffic signal if warranted.
Why are you placing sidewalks or paths on both sides of the roadway? By having a path on both sides of the roadway, safety is enhanced for both pedestrians and bicyclists. Typically, sidewalks are located on both sides of the roadway for safety purposes, so the same applies to the pathway. If the path were only on one side of the roadway, you would have more pedestrians crossing the roadway outside of crosswalks in order to get to the path. Also, you would have pedestrians crossing the roadway that would not need to cross if the path were on both sides.
Will this project make Skidaway Road similar to the way it is at Eisenhower Drive? No, this project is not a traffic congestion project as that section of Skidaway Road. The widening project in that area was part of the Truman Parkway project. Its purpose was to promote free flowing traffic and was far from the concept that we are considering. This project is to improve some intersection improvements and provide pedestrian and bicycle facilities that do not currently exist.
We are told that this project is going to remove all the trees through Bacon Park and other parts of the roadway, is this true? Any project that involves the addition of any service will negatively impact some trees. How many trees that are removed as part of this project is unknown at this time. Sidewalks and paths have the ability to jog around trees that a roadway does not. Drainage will be adjusted to avoid as many root systems as possible. Canopy preservation is a major consideration.
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