COVINGTON, Ga. — Changes may be coming to a congested I-20 intersection in west Newton County.
The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved Public Works director Chester Clegg's recent request to apply for a $5.5 million grant of federal funds from the Atlanta Regional Commission for a realignment of I-20's Crowell/Almon roads interchange where two separate intersections and their traffic signals operate almost side by side.
The intersection of Access Road/Iris Drive and Crowell Road/Almon Road is adjacent to where on- and off-ramps for I-20's Crowell/Almon Roads exit. Its configuration and signalization often creates traffic congestion, Clegg said.
The plan includes realignment of the convergence of Access/Iris, Crowell/Almon and I-20 by separating traffic signals and other changes to increase traffic flow.
Commissioners on Dec. 7 approved the use of $1.1 million in 2017 SPLOST funds to provide the required 20% match to be eligible for the grant — which will come from federal funds administered by the ARC.
In a separate traffic-related action, commissioners approved spending $48,000 for emergency repairs to the County Hwy. 213 bridge over the Alcovy River after it was struck by a vehicle in October.
The Board voted unanimously to accept Peach State Construction Co.’s bid totaling $48,097.
Clegg said the vehicle was traveling east on Hwy. 213 and did heavy damage to a concrete parapet wall on the bridge Oct. 10.
He said the vehicle driver’s insurance will reimburse the county for about $25,000 of the cost and the remainder would need to be appropriated from the budget.
Also at the final scheduled 2021 meeting Dec. 7, commissioners:
• Approved a lawn care maintenance contract with Turfwell Athletic Fields LLC. for Parks and Recreation Department ballfields. The funds for the $138,000 annual cost will come from the General Fund.
• Approved a $50,000 contract with Lanier Plans Inc., doing business as KorKat, to design and install a playground at City Pond Park. Funding will from SPLOST.
• Voted 4-1 to approve a contract with EDK Co. for design and build of a metal building to house vehicles seized by the Newton County Sheriff's Office. The $181,710 cost will be paid from the Capital Improvements part of the county budget.
• Approved the Association County Commissioners of Georgia's workers’ compensation premium policy renewal at a cost of $187,742.
• Approved Clegg's request to submit the county government's annual resurfacing project list to GDOT for 2022 Local Maintenance Improvement Grant (LMIG) funding of almost $1.38 million. The county must provide a 30% match, or $413,000, to bring the total to almost $1.8 million.
The annual grant will help resurface 38 locations in unincorporated Newton County.
• Approved a Resolution and Agreement for Reimbursement from the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund (EPD) Environmental Protection Division, $67,333, for garbage collection fees the county paid to EPD.
• Approved acceptance of donation of land on Salem Road. The land will be donated to GDOT for the future expansion of Salem Road, officials said.
• Approved relief for late fees and penalties for tax years 2019 and 2020 for Chris Hightower after a typographical error in his address led to him not receiving the tax bills.
• Terminated a contract with Creating Hope and Needed Care for Everyone Inc. and approved a contract with Southeastern Psychological Associates Inc. for counseling and transportation services for Newton County Juvenile Court's Mental Health Court program.
Funding for the $35,983 cost of the new contract is already in the Juvenile Court budget.
• Approved alcohol beverage licenses for Bajrang Group LLC, d/b/a Valero Food Mart, at 11280 Brown Bridge Road; and SM Pony Express Inc. at 1820 Hwy. 11.
• Reappointed Kelly Robinson as the Democratic Party member of the Newton County Board of Elections.
• Ratified the appointment of Kevin Mitcham to the Newton County Tax Assessor Board.
• Approved an addendum to the original service agreement with Alexander Tomas & Associates Inc., dba UtilityTRX Co., to add new services and provide separate pricing for heating, ventilation and air conditioning diagnostics software.
• Approved additional services for the new Tracker integration of Laserfiche Document Services to allow Walton County District Attorney’s office access and usage.
