How businesses are handling Horizon South Parkway expansion

GROVETOWN, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Columbia County is booming with growth. To help with some of that growth near Grovetown, crews are expanding Horizon South Parkway off Exit 190.

Here’s a timeline of the project and how some businesses are handling it all.

Nine Line Apparel and Bunker Cafe hope construction gives them a turn lane, but overall want this project to wrap up.

“It’s been hectic with all the roadwork, but it’s coming along. Hopefully, they’ll hurry up and finish so that we can get back to the normal way of life,” said Blake Rice, Nine Line Appeal.

The county says 19,000 cars drive on the two-lane portion of Horizon South daily.

“Just with the construction seems to be slowing folks down, which doesn’t give them as much time to come in and shop. We’re getting a little more visibility with them stopping in traffic here,” said Rice.

Rice lives in Grovetown and drives through Horizon South Parkway daily. He opened Nine Line Apparel right along the construction, and the business says this traffic is slowing them down.

“Just the slowness of slowing everybody down, slowing our business down and keeping them from coming in and out, and I’m concerned,” he said.

When the road merges from four to two lanes, drivers must be careful.

Kyle Titus is the head of engineering services in Columbia County. He said, “That’s an inherent issue in and of itself, and then you have construction. That’s another factor that plays into it.”

The county and Rice know this will be a tough time but know they’re better days ahead when construction gets completed.

“It’s gonna provide tremendous relief throughout that whole area,” said Titus.

Rice said: “More infrastructure, more people, more clients, more customers, more people drinking coffee and buying T-shirts.”

Even though they’re saying it’s a two- and half-year project, the county says the more realistic timeline is the middle of 2026.

Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.