441/112 roundabout work could start in June

The Georgia Department of Transportation has officially voted to speed up the timetable for the new roundabout project at the intersection of US 441 and Ga. 112.

The $4-plus million project will “have two-lane approaches and departures (on 441),” while “(Ga.) 112 would have a single-lane approach and departure,” according to the DOT. 

The project initially was slated to “go out to bid in June,” said DOT Communications Specialist Will Volk. Now, however, the bidding process will begin in April. Construction generally begins roughly two months following the beginning of the bidding process, added Volk.

The summer of 2024 at the intersection was memorable, for all the wrong reasons. Four multi-vehicle accidents were recorded in the area last summer, including a fiery crash that claimed the life of a Milledgeville truck driver. In December 2024, meanwhile, three people in a Nissan Rogue lost their lives after the driver of the car failed to yield to a big rig traveling north on 441.

“Our crash data shows all crashes at this intersection over the last four years are a result of drivers failing to stop or yield,” Volk previously said. “We urge everyone navigating this intersection to approach with caution and obey traffic signs.”

The DOT continues to be on a roundabout kick, with roughly 300 roundabout projects currently “under construction” or “in development” around the Peach State, according to its website.

“Roundabouts can reduce crashes that may result in serious injuries or fatalities by 78 to 82 percent compared to conventional intersections controlled by traffic lights or stop signs,” according to the DOT’s website.

The DOT also asserts that roundabouts cost less than red lights in the long run.