The public comment period for the environmental planning phase related to plans to realign Germantown Road officially began with a public meeting on Oct. 22 and will continue through Nov. 12.
Current plans to realign Germantown Road would make it a continuous route through the Central Business District. Also included in the project are the realignment of West Street and Old Germantown Road to create a new signalized intersection with the realigned Germanton Road, just north of the existing railroad crossing.
The presentation given last Thursday noted that the estimated cost for the project to be $5.1 million, with 10 percent of the funding coming from the city and 10 percent from the state. The rest of the project will be federally funded.
Some of the benefits of realigning the road include the reduction of traffic on W. Farmington Blvd., West Street and Old Germantown Road, and a reduced delay for motorists traveling north or south on Germantown Road between Poplar Ave. and the railroad crossing.
Germantown Road will become an uninterrupted roadway through the city. Two existing buildings will be demolished to straiten the road.
The city has already conducted a Wetlands and Stream Determination and assessments for air quality, historical and archaeological impacts.
During the presentation, the 2018 fiscal year was given for the beginning of construction.
Realignment of Germantown Road, immediately north of the railroad tracks, with West Street was first proposed in 2007 as part of the Smart Growth Plan to decrease traffic congestion and make conditions safer for pedestrians and cyclists, movement within the area.
Additional public meetings are being planned in an effort to ensure that all residents who wish to learn more or weigh in about the project have a chance to do so.
For more information, call City Engineer Tim Gwaltney at 757-7232 or email [email protected].
