Written by Shawn Payne

Streetscape plans need revisions, project manager Joy Still says.During a September Blue Ridge City Council workshop, Mrs. Still said the plans for the Blue Ridge Streetscape Project need to be updated. Still had planned to give a presentation to Mayor Donna Whitener and the entire council, seeking imput for the revisions. However, for various reasons most council members and the mayor were absent. Harold Herndon was the only board member present at this workshop. As such, a frustrated Still delivered her presentation to Herndon, City Manager Bill Sowers, and the media.

“I feel a little bit taken aback about presenting something that they’re not here to listen (to),”

Still said before beginning her presentation.

In her presentation, Still described the current plans for phase II of the plan, focusing on the Transportation Enhancement portion of the project. The Transportation Enhancement Project proposes work to pick up at Depot Street and continue to Carter Street and to all four corners at the intersection.

“A whole litany of things will have to be done,”

she said. She went on to say she hopes this will make Depot Street easily accessible for walkers and drivers alike.

The revisions, she said, are required by GDOT (Georgia Department of Transportation). Since the plans were written in 2005, new businesses have moved into the area, which must be reflected in the revised plans

“Some thing’s have changed and DOT requires It.”

she said, adding,

“There will have to be an updated survey.”

Streetscape has recently proven problematic and time consuming. Since Still wrote the grant in 2005, the project has faced costly setbacks. In addition to problems with rusting water pipes, renovation requirements at the Depot due to termite damage resulted in $12,000 in additional cost to the project. Funded by GDOT funds received by the federal gas tax, the project has funds of $335,000 and the city’s matching amount is approxiamtely $84,350. Jon Benson and Associates from Atlanta will work on the Transpsortiation Enhancement portion of the project.